James Harden’s arrival in Cleveland has been met with a reminder, both locally and nationally, that Harden is one of the game’s all-time greats. The latest to heap praise upon The Beard is former Cavalier Kendrick Perkins.
Big Perk took his ride on the Harden hype train during the most recent episode of the Road Trippin’ Show that he hosts alongside former Cavs Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye and longtime sideline reporter Allie Clifton.
When prompted by Clifton as to whether Harden’s addition to the Cavs makes the team a legit contender, Perkins acknowledged as much, then pumped up Harden’s unique skillset.
“Yes. James Harden is a top-10 greatest offensive player to ever play the game of basketball,” Perkins remarked. “He changed the game.”
Perk’s got a point. Harden is largely credited with creating and popularizing the hop-step, step-back three. He’s already been named a Top 75 player all-time by the NBA and is one of only a handful of players to have been a league leader in points per game and assists per game in different seasons throughout their career.
If that wasn’t enough praise, Perkins then went to eye-opening levels. “He was Luka (Doncic) before Luka,” Perkins, now an ESPN NBA analyst, insisted. “He’s a top-25 greatest player of all-time already. That’s with no championship. He is a top-25 greatest player of all-time.
“Koby Altman did his damn thing with this one.”
With Altman’s job done (for now), the real work falls on Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and the rest of the Cavaliers to take this squad from The Land to Title Town.
RELATED | Dribbles: New-look Cavs having themselves a time
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
