Allen Iverson Praises James Harden: 'Keep Doing Your Thing'

James Harden is no stranger to criticism in his 11 NBA seasons, with fans, media members and former players assailing the Rockets guard for his unique (and ball-dominant) style. But one Hall of Famer had nothing but praise for the 2017-18 MVP on Saturday. 

Former 76ers guard Allen Iverson came to Harden's defense on Saturday during ABC's pregame show before the 76ers hosted the Lakers. Iverson told Harden to "keep doing your thing," as Houston's star guns for a third straight scoring title. 

"That man has so much talent. He’s so great. He deserves all the praise that he gets," Iverson said. "There’s always going to be a critic out here. There’s always going to be somebody out there saying he could do something else better than what he’s doing. I think he just keeps his foot to the pedal. … Because I know his teammates love having him in that foxhole and rocking with him night in and night out. So, James, keep doing your thing, man."

You can watch Iverson's full appearance on ABC below:

Iverson was a prolific scorer in his own right in his 14 NBA seasons. The 11-time All-Star led the NBA in scoring four times, averaging over 25 points per game in 10 consecutive seasons from 1998-99 to 2007-08.

Harden is leading the league at 36.1 points per game this season, though he has struggled of late. He's dipped to 27.3 points per game in his last nine appearances, shooting a dismal 22.3% from three.

Houston's shooting guard is questionable for Sunday's matchup in Denver due to a thigh injury. Tip-off from the Pepsi Center is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT.