James Harden is Impressing Sixers Fans With Offseason Progress

James Harden hasn’t felt one-hundred percent health-wise in quite some time. After suffering a hamstring injury during his 2021 playoff run as a member of the

James Harden hasn’t felt one-hundred percent health-wise in quite some time. After suffering a hamstring injury during his 2021 playoff run as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, Harden went through a strange offseason going into the 2021-2022 NBA season.

For a player who has been relatively healthy throughout his successful career, Harden wasn’t used to spending an offseason rehabbing an injury. Therefore, when he showed up for training camp going into his second season with the Nets, Harden’s shape was being questioned.

Even throughout the 2021-2022 season, Harden dealt with a nagging hamstring. While he felt healthier after getting some time off following his trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, the process to get Harden going in Philly felt rushed and didn’t pay off the way the team had hoped.

Another second-round exit in the playoffs was in the cards for the Sixers. While Harden was expected to be the difference-maker for Philadelphia, the star guard wasn’t the best version of himself in the postseason. Harden never used his hamstring issues as an excuse for poor performances with the Sixers, but he made it clear he looked forward to having a healthy offseason.

Several videos have made their rounds on the net, displaying Harden getting in some critical offseason workouts. While videos of a professional basketball player working to improve his game in the offseason is typical, a pair of photos posted on social media on Friday left fans impressed with Harden.

James Harden been in the gym this offseason 😤🔥

(via @p3sportscience) pic.twitter.com/KNN9TsuxCB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 19, 2022

Ever since his final season in Houston, Harden has received a lot of criticism for the shape he was in. While he continued to produce at a high level for the Rockets and the Nets —many wondered if Harden’s alleged poor conditioning would eventually catch up to him and cause his game to regress.

With his numbers down in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, many believed that Harden’s best days were behind him. But it seems Harden is consistently working to change that narrative as his second run with the 76ers is on its way. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.