Harden Back In OKC, Ready For Training Camp
Sep 14 2009 5:31PM
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Like a student studying for a final exam in earnest, Thunder rookie James Harden has spent the last two and a half months meticulously preparing for his inaugural NBA training camp.
And like the rest of his teammates, Harden, the No. 3 pick in the June draft, has been in a gym, somewhere or another, nonstop this summer.
Aside from consecutive weeks of NBA Summer League play, Harden has worked out alongside NBA veterans at a well-known gym in his native Los Angeles, traveled to Las Vegas for a camp held by Denver Nuggets assistant coach Tim Grgurich and has been in Oklahoma City for the past two weeks taking part in voluntary workouts.
As for turning 20 years old on Aug. 26, Harden said it was light on celebration.
“Nothing at all,” he said. “It’s business time. I want to get a head start on the season, so I’m out here just preparing.”
Harden has been in business mode ever since the Thunder made him a lottery pick on June 25.
He made a name for himself at the Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues, where he showcased his potential and athleticism with averages of 14.7 points, 50.6 percent shooting and 3.3 rebounds in nine games.
After that it was onto Grgurich’s camp, where about 60 first- and second-year players, as well as veterans, convened for a few days worth of two-a-day sessions that stressed NBA fundamentals such as basic terminology and various pick-and-roll defenses.
“It was long, it was fun and I got to go up against some great competition in the NBA,” Harden said. “I mean, Grgurich is a great coach, a great mentor. He taught me a lot, whether it was on the defensive end or the little things that can help me in the things I do now. Overall, it was a great camp.”
Harden also trained at the Hangar Athletic Xchange (HAX) in Southern California, where NBA players such as Paul Pierce, Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Lamar Odom and many other L.A.-based players go to train.
Harden has since found a place to call home in Oklahoma City, where he’s done voluntary workouts with some of his new Thunder teammates.
“It gets me ahead,” Harden said. “All of the other rookies are a little bit behind. It gets me ahead on how to guard different defenses or getting used to the offense or even our players. It gets me ahead and that’s what I need – to be ahead.”
It’s that kind of makeup and mentality that landed him high on the Thunder draft board, and it also shows why Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has referred to Harden as having a bit of an old-school approach to the game with his work ethic.
As far as getting acclimated to a new city, Harden said, “It’s quiet. It’s real mellow, which is a great thing. It’s more time in the gym, it’s more hard work you have to put in.”
Contact Chris Silva
And like the rest of his teammates, Harden, the No. 3 pick in the June draft, has been in a gym, somewhere or another, nonstop this summer.
Aside from consecutive weeks of NBA Summer League play, Harden has worked out alongside NBA veterans at a well-known gym in his native Los Angeles, traveled to Las Vegas for a camp held by Denver Nuggets assistant coach Tim Grgurich and has been in Oklahoma City for the past two weeks taking part in voluntary workouts.
As for turning 20 years old on Aug. 26, Harden said it was light on celebration.
“Nothing at all,” he said. “It’s business time. I want to get a head start on the season, so I’m out here just preparing.”
Harden has been in business mode ever since the Thunder made him a lottery pick on June 25.
He made a name for himself at the Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues, where he showcased his potential and athleticism with averages of 14.7 points, 50.6 percent shooting and 3.3 rebounds in nine games.
After that it was onto Grgurich’s camp, where about 60 first- and second-year players, as well as veterans, convened for a few days worth of two-a-day sessions that stressed NBA fundamentals such as basic terminology and various pick-and-roll defenses.
“It was long, it was fun and I got to go up against some great competition in the NBA,” Harden said. “I mean, Grgurich is a great coach, a great mentor. He taught me a lot, whether it was on the defensive end or the little things that can help me in the things I do now. Overall, it was a great camp.”
Harden also trained at the Hangar Athletic Xchange (HAX) in Southern California, where NBA players such as Paul Pierce, Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Lamar Odom and many other L.A.-based players go to train.
Harden has since found a place to call home in Oklahoma City, where he’s done voluntary workouts with some of his new Thunder teammates.
“It gets me ahead,” Harden said. “All of the other rookies are a little bit behind. It gets me ahead on how to guard different defenses or getting used to the offense or even our players. It gets me ahead and that’s what I need – to be ahead.”
It’s that kind of makeup and mentality that landed him high on the Thunder draft board, and it also shows why Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has referred to Harden as having a bit of an old-school approach to the game with his work ethic.
As far as getting acclimated to a new city, Harden said, “It’s quiet. It’s real mellow, which is a great thing. It’s more time in the gym, it’s more hard work you have to put in.”
Contact Chris Silva
