Charles Barkley, the NBA legend and TNT analyst, recently commented on James Harden, the star player for the Philadelphia 76ers. According to a tweet by NBA Central, Barkley said that “James is the 2nd best player on the team. They’re not paying him to lead the league in assists.”
Barkley’s comment has sparked a debate among fans and followers of the NBA. Some fans agree with Barkley’s assessment of Harden’s role on the team, while others believe that Harden is being unfairly criticized.
Harden is known for his scoring ability and has led the league in scoring multiple times in his career. However, he has also shown that he is a capable playmaker and has led the league in assists as well. In fact, during the 2020-2021 season, Harden led the league in assists per game while playing for the Brooklyn Nets.
How did the fans react to the comment of Charles Barkley?
Some fans argue that Barkley’s comment is unfair because it ignores Harden’s contributions as a playmaker. They believe that Harden’s ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates is just as valuable as his scoring ability.
Now this is a bad Charles Barkley take pic.twitter.com/4CbUWQtgfs
— Kory Waldron (@Just_KWal) April 17, 2023
Others believe that Barkley’s comment is justified because Harden is being paid to be a top scorer for the Sixers. They argue that while Harden’s playmaking ability is valuable, his primary role on the team should be to score points.
They literally are. He’s far an away their best playmaker and ball handler. He scores as needed—when he’s hot, he’s hot—any additional iso play and their offense falls flat.
— Christopher Lopez (@LifeOfLopez) April 17, 2023
In conclusion, Charles Barkley’s comment about James Harden has sparked a debate among fans about Harden’s role in the Philadelphia 76ers. While some fans believe that Barkley’s comment is unfair, others believe that it accurately reflects Harden’s role on the team.
“James Harden: A Scoring and Playmaking Machine”
James Harden is a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers and has had an impressive career filled with numerous accolades. In his first full season with the Sixers, Harden has put up stellar numbers, averaging 21 points, 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 38.5 percent from outside the arc ¹.
Harden has also achieved a feat that not even LeBron James or Michael Jordan have done: he has recorded a triple-double in consecutive games, bringing him to 72 for his career ⁴. Additionally, he has had at least 5 games this season with 15 or more assists ⁴.
Harden’s scoring and playmaking abilities have made him one of the most dynamic players in the league. His ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates has helped him achieve numerous accolades throughout his career.