In the newly-released second season of Netflix's Starting 5 documentary, NBA legend Paul Pierce said what probably every Los Angeles Clippers fan was thinking about James Harden and his legacy. "He really is a rock star," Pierce said. "He's one of the most influential players that we don't talk about."
This might sound like a bit of an unusual opinion on the surface, I believe it's more true than it initially would appear. When the biggest critics talk about Harden, they talk about his failings in the playoffs. How he has repeatedly come up short in the biggest moments, and how he simply hasn't been able to get it done on the biggest stage with the pressure on.
It's inescapable that Harden hasn't gotten it done on the biggest stage as we head into the 2025-26 season. However, I don't believe that discounts Pierce's statement. When we think about the greatest players of this generation, our minds often go to LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant. While Harden's legacy still can't say it surpasses any of those guys, when you consider the totality of his career achievements, it's fair to say James is ultimately underrated.
James Harden's legacy is criminally underrated
When it comes to influence, I'm not sure any player other than Curry can claim greater influence on this generation of basketball players than Harden. James inspired an entire generation with his incredible three-point shooting, playmaking brilliance, and patented Eurostep that led to him becoming a three-time scoring champion in this league as well as an MVP.
When conversations go to NBA players and who has had the greatest legacy or influence, Pierce is right in that people tend to go directly to Curry or LeBron's influence without even mentioning James Harden. In a way, it's understandable, given that Harden hasn't won a championship. That will always matter the most when talking legacies and influence to some, but it certainly hasn't stopped James from leaving his fingerprints all over this era of basketball.
I'm sure plenty of former and current players would tell you the same thing Pierce just expressed. When he was in his prime and at his best, you probably weren't feeling very good lining up against James Harden. He had one of the most dominant peaks of any player in the last 15 years, and he created a whole generation of young guys who mirrored their games after him.
The national NBA audience doesn't have to recognize the totality of Harden's greatness. Clippers fans know exactly the kind of player they have leading their team, and they're more than happy to have him as the face of their franchise.