James Harden pays heartfelt tribute to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook after scripting 3-point history: "They set the blueprint"
James Harden’s 3-pointer with 6:38 to go in the first quarter against the Utah Jazz on Sunday was No. 2,974 in his career. The triple moved Harden past Ray Allen for second in the all-time 3-point field goals made list in NBA history. Only Steph Curry, who has 3,782 and counting, has more than him.
After the game, The Beard paid tribute to his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for helping him achieve his historic feat:
“[Durant and Westbrook] set the blueprint. When I got there, they had the blueprint of how to work. … All I did was just fall right in line. … Those three years really helped me in my NBA career.
“From that point on, I was so comfortable and confident in myself. When I got traded to Houston, I knew I was gonna be successful. … Shoutout to KD, shoutout to Russ, and the whole Oklahoma City organization.”
When the OKC Thunder made James Harden the No. 3 pick in the 2009 NBA draft, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were the team’s stars. KD and Russ were the primary weapons while Harden came off the bench. In 158 games with OKC, the lefty guard started in five and was named the Sixth Man of the Year in 2012.
Outside of the shadows of Durant and Westbrook, Harden blossomed into a superstar when he was traded to the Houston Rockets. He was an MVP contender for nine straight years, winning the award in 2018.
The 3-pointer became a big part of his arsenal as James Harden became a three-time scoring champ. During his three-year run as the NBA’s scoring king, he averaged 33.7 points per game, attempting 11.9 3s per contest. Harden made 36.3% of his 3-point shots during that stretch.
James Harden reunited with Kevin Durant once and Russell Westbrook twice after leaving Oklahoma
While still with the Houston Rockets during the 2019-20 season, James Harden reunited with Russell Westbrook in H-Town. They played together for one season before Westbrook went to Washington.
The 2012 Sixth Man of the Year eventually forced his way out of Houston during the 2020-21 season. The Beard got what he wanted when the Rockets sent him to the Brooklyn Nets. Harden formed a Big Three with Kyrie Irving and former OKC Thunder teammate Kevin Durant.
Harden’s partnership with KD and Irving didn’t last long. He forced the Nets to trade him during the 2021-22 season. Sean Marks sent him packing to Philadelphia for the disgruntled Ben Simmons.
After a controversial two-year stay in Philadelphia, James Harden signed with the LA Clippers to team up again with Russell Westbrook. Unlike in Houston, where they started, Westbrook sacrificed a starting spot so Harden could thrive. Westbrook signed with Denver in the offseason, giving his former teammate the reins of the offense in Los Angeles.