https://www.instagram.com/p/BHJL6mqBhnA/
There are very few NBA players more deadly in an isolation situation than James Harden. Yes, you can talk about how the Beard isn’t really a leader and doesn’t try hard on defense, both of which contain some kernels of truth, at least during his tenure as an All-Star in Houston. But if you want a bucket, and the shock clock is winding down, and you’ve got four teammates spread along the perimeter opening up the lane, James is elite at breaking a guy down off the dribble and either getting to the free throw line, or knocking down a bucket. It’s usually the former, but it doesn’t change how effective he is on the offensive side of the ball. But who really cares when he’s going against a little kid?
The only reason we even wanted to write words alongside this video stems from how rare it was to see a camper get duped this way. Usually NBA players just slap their campers’ shots into a different time zone, but James really seemed to take this seriously. He gave this little kid the really fast between-the-leg dribble mixed with some crossovers and while the kid was trying to keep track of the ball, he flipped it over his head and over the kid guarding him while pretending to keep that dribble alive.
The result was a pretty hilarious dunk.
https://i.giphy.com/d3MKc3FoyRGUK3ok.gif
James had a rough 2015-16 campaign with his Rockets terminating their coach — some have suggested he’s the culprit for that — and barely holding on for the final playoff seed in the West before a one-win loss to the Warriors in the second round. But his summer is really looking up now.
