A New Orleans Pelicans player named Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden his inspiration.
Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden is one of the greatest players in NBA history.
He's also an inspiration to a lot of current players.
New Orleans Pelicans big man Derik Queen told Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady that Harden was his inspiration growing up.
"Really James Harden," Queen said. "When I wanted to learn how to dribble, he was on the Rockets doing his one-on-one stuff. Even Oklahoma City, I caught the later years of OKC. But when he was on the Rockets, he just used to do his one-on-one and I was just like I want to do that.
"Him and LeBron are my favorite players. LeBron, I'm not athletic like him, but all three of us can pass. Those two were my favorite. So I just try to play like them, but at a different size and I'm not fast like them. I still fry you though."
The Cavaliers acquired Harden from the LA Clippers last season. Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game for Cleveland in the regular season and 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game in the playoffs.
Cleveland defeated the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons to reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since 1992 without LeBron James on the roster.
The New York Knicks, who won the 2026 championship against the San Antonio Spurs, swept the Cavaliers in the conference finals.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson will start Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next season.
On paper, that's a talented starting five.
A future Hall of Famer, Harden has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers. He holds career averages of 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in the regular season and 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game in the playoffs.
Harden is still searching for his first NBA championship. He went to the NBA Finals in 2012 with the Thunder, who lost to LeBron and the Miami Heat in five games.
A top-75 player of all time, Harden has made 11 All-Star teams and eight All-NBA teams. He won the 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year award with the Thunder and the 2017-18 MVP award with the Rockets.
