James Harden's Former Coach Heaps Significant Praise On His "Ageless" Game

James Harden has been getting buckets in the NBA since 2009. Entering the league the same year as Stephen Curry, he has been able to remain an impactful player in each of his 17 years in the association. Most impressive might be the fact that he has never missed the postseason.

As he enters his first full-year with the Cavs, he is once again on a team with aspirations of winning a championship. The floor general of a team with a slightly revamped starting five, it will be on him to be the distributor and conductor.

I got a few quotes from Kyle Odegard, who sat down with Harden’s coach in Houston, Mike D’Antoni, for Action Network.

Let’s discuss.

His Fit with Cavs

Mike D’Antoni made the Rockets the NBA’s most prolific offense while he was at the helm. Here’s what he had to say about his former guard, James Harden. He was the coach to convert him from SG to PG, by the way.

“He will always figure it out, because the guy is one of the most intelligent players I’ve coached. Even though he’s maybe not as proficient as in his best days, he’s still really, really good. I think people lose sight of that.”

Though he is yet to win a championship, it’s true that Harden has been the centerpiece of many very good teams. He is still passing the ball at a high level. Some of his performances post-trade deadline with Cleveland a year ago are sort of proof that he can still bring it. He is still somebody that the team will be able to come to trust and rely on.

Harden is a fantastic passer and can set the table with the best of them. The numbers he was putting up with the Clippers before the deadline last year proved that he can still be a major cog in winning basketball. The thumb is now healed and he should be able to get closer to that form than he was a season ago.

Still A Superstar?

Mike D’Antoni, in talking with Kyle Odegard, discussed whether or not he believed James Harden could still play like a superstar.

"Superstars, when they just slip a little bit, people think, 'Oh, well, he's done.’ No, he isn't. James is still one of the best players in the league.”

To receive such praise from your former HC, now in the HOF, has got to be endearing for Harden. The Beard can still score the rock when his team needs it. His assist numbers have been solid, and watching the actual games, it’s clear he can do it for the full contest. And as an added bonus, he's been spending time with teammates off the floor, attending local CLE sporting events.

Harden doesn’t need to be a superstar for Cleveland to find success, they just need him to be the facilitator. The one who will get a few extra shots off here and there to keep Donovan Mitchell fresh over the course of the contest.

He brings a lot to the table, and there is a reason the Cavs brought him in at the deadline last year. Re-signing Harden was a priority all summer and the team made that very clear. He’s back, he’s ready, and the team is ready and raring to go.

Full Conversation

For the full Mike D’Antoni conversation, click here.

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