Growing up in Los Angeles, Harden says he studied three central influences who “formed me into who I am”: Kobe Bryant for his dynamism; Paul Pierce for his physicality, stepbacks, and midrange jumpers; and Manu Ginobili—a fellow lefty—for his downhill drives, side steps, and twisting finishes at the rim. He’s still watching. Harden’s off-court reputation may be characterized by stories of late nights, but people close to him say he isn’t credited enough for how much, and how closely, he studies basketball. During Clippers bus rides, Harden has been known to find a teammate or staffer watching another game on their phone and peer over their shoulder, commenting on what he’s seeing. It has helped him build a memory bank of opponent tendencies, which has helped Harden become a trusted post defender, in particular. One longtime league talent evaluator believes that only Chris Paul is as adept at saving a possession by knowing where an opponent will place the ball, then stripping it. -via The Ringer / April 20, 2024
