James Harden believes his ‘villain role’ is over now after his dramatic trade out of Philadelphia

Back in October, James Harden was traded to the Clippers after a summer of drama that even featured a clash between the players and the Sixers President Daryl Morey. Even though The Beard struggled in his first five matches in Los Angeles, he’s been thriving now with averages of 17.6 points, 4.8 points and 8 assists per game, as they’ve won 12 out of their last 14.

Now his squad has climbed to the Western Conference’s fourth place holding a 20-12 record, and the 34-year-old is convinced that all the drama he went through before is finally behind him.

“Oh honestly, all of that, all that’s over with,” Harden told the press this week. “I don’t want to talk about it. Villain role or none of that. All of that is over with. I’m past it.”

James Harden on his fit with the Clippers:

“Obviously it didn’t start off well. It gave people so much to talk about in a negative way. And now those people that was talking, they’re nowhere to be found. Like literally nowhere to be found.” pic.twitter.com/4JXAWkG85S

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 4, 2024

The veteran guard had many detractors on his way back to the top with the Clippers, and a perfect example was broadcaster Brian Dameris’ rant against him when Harden first struggled this season.

“Listen, James, have you ever had those friends who had bad roommates?” Dameris asked. “Over and over again, they complained about their bad roommates. ‘This guy’s terrible.’ They never thought to be self-aware enough that they’re the bad roommate. They’re the problem. ‘Hey James, you’re the problem.'”

In a recent interview, the superstar also addressed what it would mean for his legacy to finally conquer the NBA championship. Now he has the chance to achieve this playing in his hometown, as the Compton native believes his team truly has a chance to win this campaign.

“Very important,” James said when asked about the importance of a title in his career. “It’s been like that. I always want to give myself a chance to win. I know how very difficult that is. There’s only one team standing at the end of the year. So, I’ll continue to keep trying to do that.”

His coach and teammates have showered Harden in praise after his latest performances with the Clippers

When The Beard first demanded a trade out of Philadelphia, he also made clear he desired to wear the Clippers uniform. Once he finally made it happen, his star teammates made sure he felt welcomed with open arms in Los Angeles.

“The reason why he’s here is we wanted him here,” expressed Paul George, who shares many memories with James when they were both teenagers playing at the Skills Academy in Los Angeles. Now, even experts are expressing their admiration for Harden’s recent dominance.

His coach Tyronn Lue recognized that his veteran guard wasn’t playing at his best during his first games with the club, but now he leads this cohesive unit of offensive wizardry, which also includes Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard.

“He was taking six, seven shots a game,” Lue recalled. “But now, I think with the rotation change [Westbrook moving to the bench] – getting him out early and getting him back with the second unit – has allowed him to be more aggressive. When he’s attacking the basket, making those step-back 3s, running a lot of pick-and-rolls, we’re a dangerous team. And so, just getting him more comfortable was the biggest thing. He has been doing a great job ever since.”