James Harden does not get the respect he deserves, according to former teammate

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James Harden does not get the respect he deserves, according to former teammate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

James Harden is one of the greatest players of the past two decades. He has been an excellent player for the longest time, and he has done it for all kinds of teams. His prime was with the Houston Rockets, and his teammates from back then always appreciate him.

One of those players is Chandler Parsons, the starting small forward for a long time alongside Harden. Through the years, Harden's reputation has taken a hit, even when he is playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers now.

James Harden deserves more respect, according to Chandler Parsons​

During the 2010s, Harden had an argument for being the best player of the decade. Of course, that distinction will probably go to LeBron James or Stephen Curry, but he has an argument.

With the Rockets, Harden was an offensive engine by himself. He can outscore almost anyone, while also creating shots for his teammates with pinpoint passing. He helped his teammates make a lot of money, including Parsons.

MORE: James Harden now has more points scored in the Playoffs than four-time champion Stephen Curry

In his early days with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Harden was purely a sixth man. That changed after the trade to Houston, as he fully embraced his role as the star player, eventually winning an MVP in 2018.

"When I played with him in Houston, he had just left OKC. He was kind of that six-man role. This was his opportunity to kind of, you know, be the face of a franchise and become who he is today," Parsons said on Out The Mud.

"One of my better years, I averaged like 16 or 17 points in a season playing with him because he created so much attention, and the scouting report obviously was to stop him, and I would just play off the catch and just kind of eat off him. But I love playing with him."

Since Harden is still playing high-level basketball, some people might have taken him for granted. Parsons is not one of those people because he appreciates Harden back then and today, which he wants other people to feel as well.

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