James
Harden believes Pinoys have talent to make it to the NBA
by rick olivares
“You’ll have to forgive me. I’m more
at ease on the basketball court.”
Houston Rockets guard James Harden
eased into a seat at the ballroom of the Hotel Sofitel Manila after the press
conference for the NBA 3X Philippines,
Harden is in Manila along with Eric
Gordon of the New Orleans Pelicans for the three-on-three competition sponsored
by Sprite. It is Harden’s second trip to Manila following his participation in
an exhibition match that featured other NBA stars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin
Durant, Derrick Rose, and Chris Paul among others during the league lockout two
years ago.
“I don’t do crowds well,” admitted
Harden who after three years of playing the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Sixth Man,
blossomed into the Main Man over at Houston. “I’m more at ease with smaller
groups of interviews. But I’ll do my talking on October when we play Indiana.”
“But the weather is great. I’m here a
little longer. Maybe I can catch some local basketball,” said Harden who admitted
to being a hoops junkie. “I hear the national team will be playing tomorrow.”
The player known as ‘The Beard’ was referring to the exhibition match between
Gilas Pilipinas and Kazakhstan tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before the
upcoming FIBA Asia Championship that tips off on August 1.
The Rockets, will be playing the
Indiana Pacers in the first NBA Pre-season game to be played in the Philippines
this coming October 10.
Harden, who has four NBA seasons to
his credit is rapidly carving out a name for himself as one of the league’s
best hoopsters. He’s adjudged the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year 2012. He was an
All-Star this past season in addition to being named to the All-NBA third team.
And he also has an Olympic Gold Medal as part of the US National Team that
defending their crown in London two years ago.
“The gold medal (from the London
Olympics) is nice to have,” revealed the six-foot-five native Californian. “If
I can win an NBA championship then it will be a nice way to cap my basketball
career. It’s good to see the Rockets organization put the parts together for a
title run.”
He also observed that with all the
flurry of NBA activity of late – from the recent arrival of Muggsy Bogues and
LeBron James to the upcoming visits of Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose – in the
Philippines, “you guys are on the road map of basketball. I was impressed last
time with the talent here. I’d say that if you work hard and who knows you
might get a lucky break, we’re going to see a Filipino in the NBA. More and
more the game has become global and we’re really seeing the best players around
the world in the NBA.” Harden has Turk Omer Asik as a teammate in Houston while
he also had Congolese-Spaniard Serge Ibaka as a colleague with the OKC Thunder.
“So maybe soon you’ll be seeing one of
your own. And maybe we’ll see him tomorrow in the NBA 3X.’
The NBA 3X will be held at the Music
Hall of the SM Mall of Asia from July 26-28.
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