There ‘There is no question that James Harden’s departure from Houston was less than ideal. He threw a tantrum similar to that of a three-year-old boy at a grocery store before being traded in Brooklyn.
But no matter how harden left the city, his last days in Houston did not define his entire tenure there. Clearly, the superstar still has a love for the place that helped turn it into a future Hall of Fame.
It was reported Sunday night that Harden had given 3,000 meals to people affected by the severe cold that hit Texas last week in Houston. The entire state has experienced power outages and food shortages since historic snow levels and sub-ice temperatures destroyed the state’s infrastructure.
On Sunday, at a post-game press conference, Harden says he constantly makes calls to people in the city to help those affected more effectively.
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Earlier this month, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors followed a passionate dispute over how players are vilified once they say they want to be traded, highlighting inconsistencies in the way organizations and fans treat these players. And no doubt there were many in Houston who saw Harden differently because of his repeated requests to leave, and continued to prove Green’s point.
Yet, as Green stressed, these players also have a humanity that should not be ignored. The same humanity that says “I deserve to be happy,” when it calls for a trade, also says “I have to help people” through a crisis.
I’m not saying it’s okay as Harden sailed his way out of Houston. But I support his decision to want to leave an organization if he wants to. Too often we keep athletes by robotic standards and when we try to break the shape, we crush them.
Harden cannot be criticized for wanting to explore his happiness and remain silent about his selflessness toward average Texans facing a death or life situation.
Very good to Harden for trying to help the Houston community.