James Harden Won’t Campaign for Another All-Star Appearance

James Harden's status as an All-Star this season is unclear, but the guard won't campaign for an 11th straight nod.

Philadelphia 76ers veteran guard James Harden is more than likely a lock for the hoops Hall of Fame when his career is said and done. 

And in year 14, the 33-year-old star is still one of the NBA’s best playmakers. 

Last week, the NBA announced the ten starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star game. Once again, Harden was not named in the top ten. Although Harden won’t get the nod to start in the All-Star game, there’s a chance he could get his 11th nod to play in the big game.

Some might think that 11-straight All-Star appearances would cause the accolade to go stale. However, Harden noted that it’s something he wouldn’t take for granted if he does get voted in this season. 

“It means you’re one of the best players in the league,” said Harden.

While Harden believes he should earn All-Star appearance No. 11 this year, he refuses to campaign for it as his status as a potential All-Star isn’t totally clear at the moment.

“I’m not going to sit up here and say I should be an All-Star and make a case,” he continued. “The numbers show it, and our seed shows it. It will be, I think, my eleventh in a row. So, obviously, it’s always an honor. You never want to take it for granted. It means you’re doing something right, and you’re making an impact on your team and on the game. So, you know, if my name is called great. If not, then I just got bigger and better goals for the season.”

Although Harden missed a chunk of games earlier this season due to a tendon strain in his foot, he thrived in the 33 games he played in during his first full season with the Sixers. Spending 37 minutes on the court per game, Harden has averaged 21 points, six rebounds, and 11 assists while knocking down 45 percent of his shots and 39 percent of his threes. 

To compare to last season, Harden averaged 22 points, eight rebounds, and ten assists. For the 44 games he played with the Brooklyn Nets, Harden managed to notch his tenth All-Star nod. 

When voting results were revealed last week, Harden finished fourth in the Eastern Conference’s backcourt voting. He ranked fifth for the player votes and fifth for the media votes. 

Then, in the fan rankings, Harden placed fourth. It’s already clear Kyrie Irving, and Donovan Mitchell will represent the East. Now, Harden’s competing with players such as Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Haliburton, and DeMar DeRozan to crack the pool of reserves. 

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