Philadelphia 76ers superstar just keeps on making headlines this offseason. At the moment, the former NBA MVP is still in the midst of a highly-publicized dispute with the Sixers and team president Daryl Morey as Harden looks to force a move away from Philly.
On Wednesday, the 10-time All-Star was in the news again after reports emerged about how he was supposedly “pouting” after he was snubbed from last season’s All-Star Game.
RUMOR: James Harden Was ‘Pouting’ After All-Star Game Snub
While Harden is no longer the superstar he once was during his heyday, there’s no denying that he’s still one of the top guards in the NBA. This is why it came as a surprise to many that he was not included in the initial roster of the 2023 All-Star Game. According to NBA insider Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, no one took the snub more personally than Harden himself:
“Still, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was prepared to name him as an injury replacement, sources said. Harden just had to give assurances that he would show up and play in the game.
Days went by without Harden’s answer. He was pouting,” Shelburne wrote in her report.
Based on this narrative, the Sixers guard simply wasn’t interested in being a replacement. He felt insulted by not being named to the All-Star squad in the first place, and there was no way he was going to settle for leftovers, so to speak.
Philadelphia 76ers Star James Harden Calls Out ‘Lies’
Harden has now clapped back at this report and he’s vehemently denying the allegations. The 34-year-old took to Instagram to shut down the rumors:
James Harden says the recent reports on his future with the Sixers and that he was pouting over All-Star Game votes are not true 👀
(via @JHarden13 / IG) pic.twitter.com/detRZLMDR6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 6, 2023
This has now become a he-said, she-said type of storyline. You have to note, though, that Ramona Shelburne is one of the most plugged-in reporters out there, and more often than not, her sources are legitimate. Then again, it’s Harden himself who is refuting her allegations.
Whatever the case might be, Harden missed out on what would have been his 11th All-Star appearance. Whether or not he will make it on the same stage again remains to be seen.
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