James Harden is already beloved by the Los Angeles Clippers' fanbase, and for good reason. But the sight of him still out on the floor long after the rest of his teammates left the gym on Thursday is sure to only increase his rapport with fans.
And that wasn't even the best part of his day. After being the last member of the Clippers still working on his game, Harden took the time to sign autographs for over 100 people in attendance, along with signing for additional young fans after that.
"Thank you all for coming, I appreciate it!" he shouted to the fans. It was a heartwarming moment, and the latest in a long line of examples as to why Clippers fans rightfully love having James Harden on their team.
Harden is not a perfect basketball player, no one is. But the kind of effort and dedication he puts in to his craft, as well as how he's seemingly such a pleasant person to be around who genuinely cares for the fans and this organization makes it no surprise why he is so beloved in Los Angeles.
Even after James Harden stayed last for practice and signed autographs for at least hundred people, he still found the kids to give more autographs.
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) October 9, 2025
Went up to every single one said: "Thank you all for coming, I appreciate it!" pic.twitter.com/11VihTC0jA
Harden was still practicing after all his teammates had departed the gym
We should note that staying late to continue working on his game and stopping to sign autographs was done purely out of Harden's desire to do so. It wasn't a PR stunt, rather it was a genuine expression of who James is.
Things like these are so welcoming to see for Clippers fans for a number of reasons, but I think one of the biggest of them is seeing the national perception around Harden shift a bit in the latter stages of his career. For years when he was competing for MVPs with the Houston Rockets, there were often unfair narratives spun about how much he really cared. Now, he's putting the ghosts of those conversations to rest.
I also think Clippers fans have always desired to have their star players truly be bought in and embrace them in the same way that they embrace their players. Harden staying late to meet with these kids and personally greeting them is naturally going to resonate on a deep level.
These are the kind of off-court actions that may seem small in the moment, but it's ultimately meaningful in the grand scheme of things. Harden was already seen in a positive light when he made the move to Southern California due to being a hometown guy. But it's stuff like this that only grows his Clippers legacy.