James Harden, the second-leading three-point shooter in the NBA, continues to hold deep respect for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The OKC launched Harden’s NBA career by selecting him as the third overall pick in the 2009 draft. Harden then joined forces with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and formed a formidable trio.
The trio not only led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals but also secured a gold medal together at the 2012 London Olympics. However, the promising era for the Thunder ended abruptly when the team traded Harden to the Houston Rockets in the 2012-13 season after playing just four games.
Harden recently discussed his time in OKC during an appearance on the Earn Your Leisure podcast. The Los Angeles Clippers star expressed his belief that the trio could have achieved greatness if not for the team’s financial decision.
“That summer, we go to the Olympics and win a gold medal. Then, my fourth year, in the summertime, I get traded—like, right before the first game,” Harden said.
“If the Thunder would’ve stayed together instead of being broken up over $4 million, we would’ve won two chips at least—at the minimum,” he added.
James Harden Reflects On OKC Thunder’s Playoff Runs During His Era
On the podcast, James Harden recalled the Thunder’s playoff dominance during his era. After recalling the Thunder’s battle against the eventual champions in 2010, Harden also spoke about the team’s progress in his second and third years.
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“My rookie year, we played the Lakers—the number one seed. We scared them, for sure, had OKC cracking. They won the championship. My second year, we were in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, and they won the championship. My third year, we were in the Finals against the Heat—that was Bron’s first championship,” Harden said.
Harden, who recently surpassed Ray Allen in the all-time three-point record, played four seasons and 220 games with OKC. During this tenure, he averaged 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. This season, Harden is averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists with the Clippers.
