Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers defended James Harden’s legacy, arguing that the veteran guard deserves to be mentioned alongside some of the most influential players in basketball history.
Mitchell said Harden’s impact on the game often gets overlooked because of the heavy emphasis placed on championships when evaluating players.
“This man changed the game of basketball. Changed the game of basketball in ways we have never seen before,” the Cavs guard said.
“We live in such a ring-dominant culture that we were willing to write a guy off, a guy that has transcended basketball. Seventy-five years, no one has done what he does.
“You can say the same about Steph Curry, [Allen] Iverson, [Michael] Jordan. James Harden is in there. So yeah, I can relate to not reaching a certain point. I also feel like we also don’t talk about [Harden’s] greatness enough.”
Donovan Mitchell says James Harden’s greatness is in the same conversation as Stephen Curry, Allen Iverson, and Michael Jordan
“This man changed the game of basketball. Changed the game of basketball in ways we have never seen before. We live in such a ring-dominant culture that… pic.twitter.com/xE1TmSpeIY
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 26, 2026
