Bronny James Jr. is one of the most interesting up and coming talents in high school basketball and while his skills are certainly plentiful, his name has a little something to do with it. Of course, Bronny is the oldest son of LeBron James and there are many out there who think Bronny could someday go to a Division 1 NCAA school and maybe even make it into the NBA.

These days, Bronny can be found playing NBA 2K20 for his audience on Twitch. Yes, that’s right, Bronny is a Livestreamer in his spare time and he has grown to be quite good at it. Recently, Bronny was on stream, and in between all of the trolling, he was asked to name his five favorite NBA players. As you can see, he has some pretty good taste.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant all ended up on his list although they weren’t placed in any particular order. Bronny ended up leaving his dad off of the list since that’s what the chat ultimately wanted him to do.

If you were to poll most young fans, this is the list they would probably give you. Realistically, Bronny’s list didn’t contain any surprises but it was solid nonetheless.

Let us know in the comments below who your top five is, using only contemporary players.

Kendrick Perkins has steadily been one of the more interesting basketball analysts to listen to since he retired. Most of the time, people disagree with whatever Perkins has to say but as someone who used to play in the NBA, he certainly has some valid criticism and praise to dish out. Today on First Take, the show revealed that in a top 15 NBA player ranking, James Harden was placed sixth while Steph Curry was fifth.

Following this revelation, Perkins went off on a rant about how Harden is actually a better player than Curry. While Curry has all of the rings, Perkins noted that Harden is a better scorer, passer, and rebounder which would by default make him better than Curry. 

Lil Wayne is one of the greatest rappers of all time and when he isn’t writing new songs and recording new music, he can be found watching live sports. Basketball is easily one of his favorites and it is well-documented that he is a huge fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. Recently, Wayne went on the “All The Smoke” podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes where he spoke about his love of Kobe Bryant and a whole range of other topics.

Sticking to sports, Wayne was asked about who are some of his favorite players in the NBA right now. As a Lakers fan, Wayne made sure to acknowledge LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the entire Lakers bench. From there, he spoke about a plethora of veteran players, as well as some young guns were thrown into the mix.

The aforementioned veterans were Chris Paul, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. From there, Wayne spoke about two of the league’s standout rookies, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson. Wayne was particularly impressed by Ja Morant who was making the Memphis Grizzlies look like a bonafide playoff team.

With Wayne’s comments in mind, it’s clear that he is paying attention to the next generation of players. If you get name-dropped by Wayne, you must be doing something right.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been keeping busy during the NBA shutdown by going on IG live whenever he has the chance. Typically, he entertains questions from fans and tries to give them insight into his life and career. Recently, the Greek Freak was asked about the NBA and who he feels is the hardest player to guard. Giannis offered up a surprising answer as he mentioned his arch-nemesis, James Harden.

For those who don't know, Giannis and Harden have been embroiled in a beef over the last few months. Giannis started it all with some light jabs although Harden has come through with his own clap backs. He even said Giannis' game required very little skill. Despite all of this, it seems like Giannis is admitting some admiration towards Harden.

Mike D’Antoni was at the helm amid the Phoenix Suns’ notable runs during the 2000s. His “seven seconds or less” offensive strategy is both genius and revolutionary. He led the Suns to four 50-win seasons and flirted with the NBA finals during a few of those campaigns. The league has even continued to move towards his philosophies over the last decade – with teams like Golden State further popularizing “small ball.” But in many eyes, D’Antoni is still a punchline. His teams have been criticized for their lack of defense and execution in the playoffs. The two-time coach of the year has never been shy about rolling the dice and with ownership reportedly beginning to sour on his style, it’s now or never. So it’s no wonder with two of the league’s most dynamic guards at his disposal, D’Antoni is finally going all in. Something he wishes he had done while in Phoenix. In an interview with his former point guard Steve Nash, D’Antoni said, “Every voice said you cannot do that, you cannot win. The reason we didn’t win [is] we didn’t go far enough…We would have been Golden State before Golden State.” The statement is a reflection of his tremendous confidence and stubbornness, which in the end will either be praised or lambasted.

In concurrent seasons, the aforementioned James Harden and Russell Westbrook hoisted the MVP trophy. Each had unbelievable years from a statistical standpoint but like D’Antoni both also failed to reach the NBA Finals. Harden is considered by many to be the most lethal offensive weapon since Kobe Bryant, putting up video-game scoring performances routinely and Russell Westbrook notched a triple-double for three consecutive seasons. Despite their individual successes, the two are maybe unfairly mentioned a tier down from players like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Coincidently, their resumes lack only one thing – the same thing their coach’s resume lacks – A title. Mike D’Antoni, James Harden and Russell Westbrook – all three have pantheon credentials without the championship cache to go along with it. For the Rockets, going all in on small-ball may be the last chance for this group to cement their NBA legacies.

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On February 4th, 2020 the Rockets acquired Timberwolves’ Robert Covington and traded center Clint Capela to the Hawks. This was part of a four-team, 12-player deal. Shipping Capela meant that Houston’s plan would be to start 6’5″ P.J. Tucker at the center. Basically meaning, in a bold move, they would play without one. So what’s the plan? The Rockets are daring teams to outmuscle them down low. D’Antoni is betting it all on his MVP backcourt – surrounding them with 3-point shooters and keeping the ball in their hands a vast majority of the time. Riding the paint of Capela and other bigs means opening up more space for Westbrook to create. Now, with room to operate, Brodie has been on a tear – posting 29 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds on 53 percent shooting in the last 10 games. Another thing small-ball allows the Rockets to do is get more out of Westbrook, therefore making sure Harden is rested come the postseason.  

On February 7th, when the Rockets went into the Staples Center, James Harden was out at center court for the opening tip and Houston didn’t have anyone over 6’6″ in their starting lineup. All the shooting threats on the court pulled Lakers’ Anthony Davis away from the basket, allowing Westbrook to go berzerk. The guard finished with 41 points. Even though the Lakers bigs, namely, Anthony Davis took advantage of the Rockets size scoring 32 points and grabbing 13 rebounds – it was late-game 3-point shooting that tilted the scale for Houston. After the win D’Antoni told ESPN“Every time you try something different, these guys have got to believe in it,” D’Antoni said. “And this helps a lot, because if you come in here and get spanked and they’re all little, it’s like,`Oh, maybe we can’t do this.’ So they’re fired up to keep trying. It’s just one game, but the confidence is good.”

Almost a month into the experiment, on March 6th, during a nationally televised game the rims weren’t kind to Houston and the outcome reflected that. The Clippers took full advantage of the Rockets’ smaller lineup and forced them off the arc making it tough for Houston to do anything offensively. Los Angeles made the formula to neutralize small-ball clear. Play elite perimeter defense while still remaining solid down low. Great closeouts and recovery. Being able to challenge the 3-point line without being so cavalier that the defense is compromised on the backend. Houston shot 7-for-42 from 3-point range. If the Rockets small-ball experiment is to work then they must hit shots otherwise they will get pounded on the glass. 

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Despite his scoring brilliance, Harden is not without critics. During his 30-point scoring streak, last season Kobe Bryant told ESPN, “I’m not a fan of that [Harden’s style] in terms of winning championships, I don’t think that style is ever going to win championships.” He did add that what Harden’s feat was “remarkable.” Now that Harden has Westbrook maybe they will be able to co-exist when the moment comes and share the stage. 

Standing pat, the Rockets may certainly bow out in the first round but small-ball at least gives them a chance to make a run. Simply put, the ceiling is higher playing this risky style. James Harden and Russell Westbrook at their best are as good as any tandem in the NBA or maybe any tandem ever. One thing they don’t lack is confidence in the experiment. Harden told media after their big win over the Lakers, “We’re not smaller — obviously height-wise [we are]. But heart. Each individual got big hearts. We can compete with anybody.”

The bottom line, if Houston is nailing from deep the system is un-guardable and the best-case scenario is a title. If they go cold early in a series it might be another first-round exit and one less chance for D’Antoni, Westbrook, and Harden to capture that elusive career solidifier. 

Adidas and James Harden put together a unique collection of Harden Vol.4 colorways this year dubbed the “Su Casa Mi Casa” Pack, inspired by select teams around the league. This includes the white, blue and orange “Madison Square Harden” joint he wore when the Rockets visited the Knicks, the blue and gold “Warriors” pair that he pulled out in San Francisco, and the Thunder-inspired Vol. 4 for his return to OKC.

The “Su Casa Mi Casa” pack will also consist of a purple and gold colorway, which is of course in reference to the Los Angeles Lakers.

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The Beard likely would have laced up this “Lakers” Harden Vol. 4 when the Rockets visited Staples Center on March 12th, but that game never took place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. That said, it is believed that Adidas will still release this special edition colorway at some point in the future – although a specific release date has not yet been announced.

Check out the detailed images below.

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Many people across America took to social media to celebrate National Sons Day yesterday (March 4), and Meek Mill followed suit as well by hanging heavy with his son Rihmeek Williams and Houston Rockets star player James Harden.

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Meek and Harden have been good friends for some time now, seen above together back in 2018 at a Halloween party thrown by LaLa Anthony and Lenny S in New York City. “Papi,” the name Meek affectionately refers to Rihmeek by, seemed to be enjoying his time with pops and Uncle James based off the big smile and peace sign he’s throwing up in a pic they took together. Both fellas are looking pretty sharp too, with Rihmeek donning a clean red puffer jacket by Burberry Kids and Harden, as expected, donning an adidas sweatsuit given his role as a brand ambassador for the Three Stripes. “Papi x Jh vibes,” Meek wrote as a caption to the pic on IG, and followed up with a fitting #nationalsonsday hashtag to bring the moment together. Shoutout to Meek though for this because, well, did any of you even know yesterday was National Sons Day?

Take a look at Meek Mill’s photo of his son with James Harden below, and we hope all the fathers out there enjoyed the occasion.

Over the past few seasons, James Harden has cemented himself as one of the best scorers in the league. In some people’s eyes, he has the potential to be one of the greatest scorers of all-time. While that would certainly be a lofty goal, there is no denying that Harden has the potential, as long as he can start posting some more consistently great shooting percentages.

One area of Harden’s game that some feel is lacking, is his defense. In a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Harden completely refuted this idea and even challenged some of his opponents to come and try him out on the court. Clearly, Harden isn’t going to allow himself to be punked by anybody.

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“Come try it and the s**t won’t work,” Harden said. “I’m a competitor. I’m a beast. Whatever teams’ schemes are, we switch everything, and they’ve got to find a way to attack us. It’s not going to be perfect. Some guys are going to score on me. That’s a part of the game, but more times than not, we’re going to get a stop and they’ll shy away from it.”

Harden and the Houston Rockets have yet to make an NBA Finals appearance since his tenure there although they are looking to make it a reality this season. The Rockets are getting hot and have the potential to make a splash in the postseason. If Harden can sure up his defense, there is no denying they have a chance.

Earlier today (Feb. 28), the reigning NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed James Harden's comments that have been making headlines about his ability as a basketball player during a short interview prior to tonight's Bucks game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  During the 2020 NBA All-Star draft earlier this month, Charles Barkley asked the Nigerian Freak why he chose to pick Kemba Walker over James Harden during his drafting process against Lebron James. Without taking a moment to think about his answer, Antetokounmpo blatantly answered:

"I want somebody that’s going to pass the ball." 

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During a one-on-one sitdown with ESPN's, Rachel Nichols, James Harden didn't seem to take too kindly to Antetokounmpo's comments stating:

"I averaged more assists than (Walker) I think. I don’t see what the joke is. But I didn’t even see it, I don’t pay attention to stuff like that. I just know that none of them can mess with me."

Harden then proceeded to go in on Giannis' size saying:

"I wish I could just run and be seven feet and just dunk. Like, that takes no skill at all. I gotta actually learn how to play basketball and how to have skill. I'll take that any day."

Antetokounmpo being the nonconfrontational person he is revealed that he holds no ill-will towards the league's leading scorer, responding:

"There hasn't been a back and forth. Like I'm not the type of guy—I never try to take stabs at somebody." Antetokounmpo said. "Maybe sometimes it might come out like that, but I'm definitely not. I'm just trying to do my job, which is win games and go back home to my family ... At the end of the day, if that's what he believes, that's what he believes. I can't say anything about it. I've just got to keep being focused."

While some media personalities may be trying to take sides, Antetokounmpo is focused on securing his first-ever NBA Champion a la James Harden. Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently averaging a total of 29.7 points per game while securing 13.7 rebounds while James Harden is averaging a league's best 35.2 points per game and dishing out 7.3 assists per game. 

Check out Giannis Antetokounmpo's response to James Harden's animosity in the video provided below. 

James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been going back and forth as of late. It all started when Giannis took a shot at Harden about not passing the ball. Of course, this shot was taken while Giannis was picking players for his all-star team. In an interview with ESPN, Harden finally clapped back at Giannis and questioned his abilities when it comes to playing basketball. “I wish I could be 7-feet, run and just dunk. That takes no skill at all. I gotta actually learn how to play basketball and how to have skill. I’ll take that any day,” Harden said.

Today, Stephen A. Smith got on First Take and spoke about Harden’s recent comments. Smith decided to take Harden’s side in all of this, saying Giannis has yet to do anything in the league and that he should stop talking. Stephen A. believes Harden was in the right to respond and that Giannis should win something before going after a seasoned veteran.

Max Kellerman took Giannis side which isn’t surprising since the two need something to debate. If they agree, the point of the show kind of flies out the window. During the exchange, Smith got fairly heated as he continued to defend Harden and his recent shots. However, it’s important to note that Smith failed to mention that Harden has yet to win anything either, at least in terms of a championship. At this point, the only thing separating these players is a failed NBA Finals appearance.

Whose side are you on in all of this? Let us know in the comments, below.