James Harden to Houston, Rockets Fans: 'This City Has Given Me Everything I Could Ask For'

James Harden says Houston "has given me everything I could ask for and more"

James Harden shared an emotional goodbye to Houston and the Rockets organization Friday morning in a post on his Instagram account.

In the post, Harden expressed multiple times that he is “forever indebted” to the city of Houston and the Rockets. 

“This organization, this city has given me everything I could ask for and more,” Harden wrote.

Harden also acknowledged that he “fell short” of his goal of “bringing glory to the city”. The post’s accompanying highlight video closed with “Thank You Houston.”

The post closes the book on Harden’s eight seasons in Houston. He made the All-Star team every season of his career with the Rockets and is second only to Hakeem Olajuwon on the team’s all-time scoring list. The Rockets also made the playoffs in every season of Harden’s career, though they never won the Western Conference.

The blockbuster four-team trade that sent Harden to the Brooklyn Nets was officially announced on Thursday. The deal sent Pacers guard Victor Oladipo and several draft picks to the Rockets in exchange for the disgruntled star.

Harden could make his Nets debut as soon as Saturday when the Nets take on the Orlando Magic


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Kevin Sweeney
KEVIN SWEENEY

Kevin Sweeney is a staff writer at Sports Illustrated covering college basketball and the NBA draft. He joined the SI staff in July 2021 and also serves host and analyst for The Field of 68. Sweeney is a Naismith Trophy voter and ia member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.