Former Sixers star James Harden ranked No. 5 shooting guard of all-time

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James Harden's time with the Philadelphia 76ers was brief. He only played 79 games across 1.5 seasons with the Sixers before a tumultuous summer of 2023 led to him being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, but Harden was fantastic in Philadelphia despite the ugly ending.

He averaged 21.0 points, 10.6 assists, and 6.4 rebounds as a member of the Sixers. He led the league in assists in the 2022-23 season at 10.7 per game as he helped Joel Embiid win the MVP award with his wizardry as a playmaker. He also made a big impact on Tyrese Maxey as he helped push him forward in the right direction toward stardom.

HoopsHype ranked the top 20 shooting guards in the history of the NBA and Harden came in ranked No. 5 right behind Sixers legend Allen Iverson who ranked No. 4. HoopsHype on Harden:

James Harden has a Hall-of-Fame resume thanks to his unreal scoring ability and playmaking. His crossover and stepback jumper made him impossible to slow down, as did his strong shoulder on drives to the rim. He still has a chance to add to his legacy over the coming years, though winning a championship ring in L.A. feels like a really long shot by now.

Believe it or not, Harden is now higher on the all-time assists list than he is on the scoring list, which speaks to his genius as a playmaker to go with his historical scoring skills. But he continues to fall short in the playoffs, which might just be a part of his legacy.

The shortcomings in the playoffs are the stain on Harden's resume. While he did lead the Houston Rockets to the Western Conference finals in 2015 and 2018, they fell short both times to the Golden State Warriors. He also had his opportunities with the Sixers--especially, in 2023--but fell short while not being able to get out of Round 1 yet with the Clippers.

Either way, Harden's impact on the game of basketball is undeniable and he deserves the high respect and ranking in the history of this game. He had some fantastic moments with the Sixers that should be celebrated for what it was.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Former 76ers star James Harden ranked No. 5 shooting guard of all-time

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