Harden Eager to Learn, Bond With New Teammates
Aug 20 2009 4:25PM
The Thunder saw something special in James Harden long before the Arizona State guard came to town for a workout earlier this month, but he made an even better impression on the organization by the time he left.
During his two-day visit to Oklahoma City, Harden said he had a solid overall workout, shot the ball well and got a good vibe from everyone he came into contact with.
But it was what Harden did the night before his workout with the Thunder and the morning he left town for his next workout that spoke volumes about his work ethic.
In both instances, Harden found himself at the Thunder practice facility, shooting jump shots and lifting weights on his own time.
It was as if Harden never wanted to leave.
Now, it appears as if he will be here for a while.
The Thunder selected Harden with the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, and with it added another piece to the puzzle, another young talent that can grow with the organization’s current crop.
“They have a great group of guys, young guys who are working hard and have great character,” Harden said via teleconference. “The organization, the way it’s going is just tremendous. I feel that if I go in there with the same work ethic that those guys have and just try to contribute in the best way possible, that everything will work itself out. Going in there with the mindset of just going to work is something I’m willing to do.”
Harden is well aware he’s not the final piece to the puzzle, either. He knows he’ll have to earn a spot in the rotation.
Of course, it should help that he’s already friendly with point guard Russell Westbrook. The two have known each other since the age of 11 while attending the same Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles. And that he’s been in contact with Westbrook and Kevin Durant, via text messaging, periodically throughout the draft process.
“I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high, start thinking about being there,” Harden admitted.
But now he’s here, along with Ohio State 7-1 center B.J. Mullens, whom the Thunder acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the rights to its No. 25 pick, Rodrigue Beaubois of Guadalupe, and a future second-round pick.
And how excited did Harden appear to become a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder?
As soon as the television cameras zeroed in on the throwback guard when the pick was announced, Harden pounded his cream colored three-piece suit with his left fist and let out a snarl of approval.
“It’s definitely a sign of relief and excitement,” Harden said. “You work so hard to get to this point, and once you’re here it just feels so great. This is just the beginning of a new life.”
Harden seemed to know exactly what he was walking into: an organization on the rise and stockpiled with young talent.
Of course, Harden’s numbers at Arizona State helped.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Harden led ASU in scoring in 46 of 68 career games, assists 29 times and rebounds 21 times. The Pac-10 Player of the Year also led the league in scoring (20.1 points per game) and steals (1.69) this past season.
Harden said he prides himself as a pass-first player, which he felt helped separate him from the rest of the draft class.
“They have great scorers over there,” he said. “With my ability to pass first and score second with those great players over there helps the organization a lot.”
The left-handed Harden possesses a good handle off of dribble-drive situations, and he’s shown the ability to change paces with the ball in his hands.
Coming from a program that primarily played zone defense, Harden said he still considers himself a “pretty good” defensive player because of his basketball IQ, length and ability to defend multiple positions.
But now with an organization that wants to establish a sound defensive identity, Harden acknowledged he’ll have to get better.
“I have a long way to go as far as being a stopper that I want to be,” Harden said. “With this great group of young guys having the mindset that they want to win and stop people on defense is something I’ve got to learn quickly. It’s something I’m willing to learn very quickly.”
Contact Chris Silva
During his two-day visit to Oklahoma City, Harden said he had a solid overall workout, shot the ball well and got a good vibe from everyone he came into contact with.
But it was what Harden did the night before his workout with the Thunder and the morning he left town for his next workout that spoke volumes about his work ethic.
In both instances, Harden found himself at the Thunder practice facility, shooting jump shots and lifting weights on his own time.
It was as if Harden never wanted to leave.
Now, it appears as if he will be here for a while.
The Thunder selected Harden with the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, and with it added another piece to the puzzle, another young talent that can grow with the organization’s current crop.
“They have a great group of guys, young guys who are working hard and have great character,” Harden said via teleconference. “The organization, the way it’s going is just tremendous. I feel that if I go in there with the same work ethic that those guys have and just try to contribute in the best way possible, that everything will work itself out. Going in there with the mindset of just going to work is something I’m willing to do.”
Harden is well aware he’s not the final piece to the puzzle, either. He knows he’ll have to earn a spot in the rotation.
Of course, it should help that he’s already friendly with point guard Russell Westbrook. The two have known each other since the age of 11 while attending the same Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles. And that he’s been in contact with Westbrook and Kevin Durant, via text messaging, periodically throughout the draft process.
“I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high, start thinking about being there,” Harden admitted.
But now he’s here, along with Ohio State 7-1 center B.J. Mullens, whom the Thunder acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the rights to its No. 25 pick, Rodrigue Beaubois of Guadalupe, and a future second-round pick.
And how excited did Harden appear to become a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder?
As soon as the television cameras zeroed in on the throwback guard when the pick was announced, Harden pounded his cream colored three-piece suit with his left fist and let out a snarl of approval.
“It’s definitely a sign of relief and excitement,” Harden said. “You work so hard to get to this point, and once you’re here it just feels so great. This is just the beginning of a new life.”
Harden seemed to know exactly what he was walking into: an organization on the rise and stockpiled with young talent.
Of course, Harden’s numbers at Arizona State helped.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Harden led ASU in scoring in 46 of 68 career games, assists 29 times and rebounds 21 times. The Pac-10 Player of the Year also led the league in scoring (20.1 points per game) and steals (1.69) this past season.
Harden said he prides himself as a pass-first player, which he felt helped separate him from the rest of the draft class.
“They have great scorers over there,” he said. “With my ability to pass first and score second with those great players over there helps the organization a lot.”
The left-handed Harden possesses a good handle off of dribble-drive situations, and he’s shown the ability to change paces with the ball in his hands.
Coming from a program that primarily played zone defense, Harden said he still considers himself a “pretty good” defensive player because of his basketball IQ, length and ability to defend multiple positions.
But now with an organization that wants to establish a sound defensive identity, Harden acknowledged he’ll have to get better.
“I have a long way to go as far as being a stopper that I want to be,” Harden said. “With this great group of young guys having the mindset that they want to win and stop people on defense is something I’ve got to learn quickly. It’s something I’m willing to learn very quickly.”
Contact Chris Silva
