James Harden remains a not-so-hidden gem for the Clippers as they clinch top five seed

SAN FRANCISCO – The date is June 25, 2009. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for basketball fans it was NBA Draft night. As the years go by, viewers around the league always debate the best drafts in league history, and there’s a strong case to be made for 2009. On that fateful night in June, 60 players had their names called. Unknown at the time, just a few of these guys would be considered some of the greatest to ever play. 

Off the top of the board you can easily name four future hall-of-famers – Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Stephen Curry, and James Harden. While Griffin and DeRozan had, and currently have had great careers, realistically the 2009 draft will always be known as the Harden and Curry draft. Two members of the NBA Top 75 Anniversary team, former MVPs, and much more.

Yet when the talking heads on social media discuss who the greatest players of this generation are, it’s always the same – LeBron James, Curry, and Kevin Durant. Why the omission for Harden? Did he just stop existing in the minds of the viewers? It got to a point where this past summer when the US won gold in the Paris Olympics, they dubbed those three the “NBA OG’s.” From an opinionated perspective, one might say it’s unintentionally dissing Harden when he clearly fits in that category.

This season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Harden has completely snuck under the radar, and just finished the 2024-25 regular season with a win over none other than Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Even in year 16, Harden still operates at a high level, seen time after time.

Who better to speak to the man’s greatness than someone who’s been in the mud with, and against Harden all these years. “(I have) the utmost respect and appreciation for who he is as a player and as a person,” said Curry.

He continued, “We go way back to even our college days, when we were All-Americans… Been around since 09’, to know all the battles we had, there’s a lot of love and a lot of respect for what (Harden) has done his entire career, and the levels he’s pushed it to. It’s kind of cool to keep having opportunities (to go head-to-head) in 2025.”

A few milestones Harden achieved this year for the Clippers – he surpassed over 3,000 three pointers made  in his career (second all-time), received his eleventh all-star nod, and for most of the season had to carry the Clips’ while Kawhi Leonard dealt with injuries.

Now that he's playing at his peak—or at least the peak a 35-year-old can realistically reach—and with the roster assembled around him, a championship is the clear goal. With the win over the Warriors, where he posted a fantastic 39 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assist game, the Clippers lock their spot in the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the 5 seed. They’ll take on the Denver Nuggets.

With Harden at the lead, this Clipper team will always have a chance. “We’re a good team and we’re excited to show the world,” said Harden. The NBA playoffs are here, and it’s a safe bet no one wants to see a healthy Clippers squad.