Yeah except his turnovers are not really related to leadership. Is LeBron James a leader? When he blames the refs or fouls, or missed shots by his teammates for his failures... is that leadership? When Jordan blamed his big men for not boxing out or finishing under the basket, when the Bulls lost.... is that leadership? Claiming that James has too many turnovers is fair........ linking that to a lack of leadership is absurd. Did he or are you just assuming that is the case based on what McHale said? I will go with what Jason Terry said about Harden playing off the ball and the philosophy of McHale. The Rockets and Harden's relative success has hurt McHale's pride, and it is pretty damn obvious he is bitter. I supported McHale as coach of the Rockets, I thought (and still do) that he got too much grief.... but this is just petty.
other players, that's not what im worried about because that's not the topic here. anyways i don't agree that anyone can improve their leadership, not when it comes to the game of basketball. there's come a point in time where you are that person or you're not imo. If a player happens to have those qualities of a leader in their own way, you go through your years in the league and if you're that guy you pick up things along the way but at a certain point, that player is who he is. Lebron isn't improving his leadership at this stage of his career. Neither is someone like CP3. They are who they are
I think we should cut McHale some slack. It would be unnatural for him not to hold some hard feelings given what happened. I don't think he said anything terribly b****y, really. Having said that, I am glad he is no longer the coach of the Rockets.
I didn't mean to stir such a sh!tstorm, although it's hard for me to tell if it's all just McHale haters and Harden nuthuggers getting their shorts in a bunch. Let's take what McHale said re: the leadership question. I'm only going by J.R.'s transcript, I haven't listened to the thing. Uhhh I think he's trying. I really do. Again, James has to play better defense. There are times he'll turn it over & doesn't sprint back & puts his team in a 5 on 4 defensive situation. Offensively...when we got him from OKC, he was so much better than I thought he was. He's as good as it gets. Leadership, he's trying. Leadership is a strange thing. I think you're born with leadership. When things get really bad, I don't know what you say but you go out there with a resolve that people see. You turn the tide back. You might say "Hey, we gotta play better, everyone guard your own damn man" and then you walk out there & do it? The tide follows you. I don't know if you can teach it. That's in guys. James is trying. Everyone will follow him offensively. Look at the teams that win championships, your top guys gotta defend. He's getting better. That's a hard thing to put your finger on, why some are great leaders & why some aren't. I do think James is trying. After Dwight left, they had a crappy year last year. I think there was a lot of he has to improve and if they get better, it's because he got better, which he has improved. okay, line by line: "Uhhh I think he's trying. I really do." who's got a problem with that? what part of this is wrong? is this just McFail being a bitter old man (who by the way, is still "getting them checks" as Jalen Rose likes to say). "Again, James has to play better defense." who wants to argue with this? "There are times he'll turn it over & doesn't sprint back & puts his team in a 5 on 4 defensive situation." who wants to argue with this? and don't tell me this is just McFail being a bitter old man "Offensively...when we got him from OKC, he was so much better than I thought he was. He's as good as it gets." who wants to argue with this? rhetorical question. "Leadership, he's trying." who wants to argue with this? is anyone here honestly suggesting that McFail is wrong, and James ISN'T trying? "Leadership is a strange thing." who wants to argue with this? here is where McHale is going to start ruminating about human nature and human potential. "I think you're born with leadership. " Okay, the first debatable thing McHale has said . . . but notice, he's saying he "thinks" this is the case. This is his opinion. You can agree to disagree with him, but it's not enough to just engage in smear tactics and say that Larry Bird thinks he's an *******. Get a better argument. "When things get really bad, I don't know what you say but you go out there with a resolve that people see. You turn the tide back." Who wants to argue with this? seriously. WHO WANTS TO ARGUE WITH THIS? he's talking about leading by example. This is as obvious and clear cut an observation as anyone can make. This is what military training is all about. so again, who wants to argue with this or dispute it because it's McFail saying it? "You might say 'Hey, we gotta play better, everyone guard your own damn man' and then you walk out there & do it? The tide follows you." again, I take this as McHale basically saying that you lead by example. It's not enough to just mouth the words in a post-game interview. You have to walk the walk in addition to talking the talk. Here I suspect is where McHale doesn't quite yet believe that Harden is 100% there yet. here I will entertain arguments from any and all McFail Haters and Harden Nuthuggers. "I don't know if you can teach it." who's gonna argue with this one? there truly are intangibles to leadership that sometimes truly are impossible to define, and perhaps impossible to teach. Leadership has to do with character, virtue, and integrity. If you don't have those qualities first, then you may never really be a true leader. Or at least you may fall short of whatever potential you have as a "leader." And clearly there are plenty of cases of bad leaders out there, ineffective leaders, inept leaders. just watch The Office for that last one. "That's in guys. " see above. "James is trying. " I don't see this as James-bashing. I see McHale here suggesting that James Harden is continuing to grown into his role as the leader of the Rockets. James Harden is still a work-in-progress. I don't see this as McHale being negative about James; rather I take this as a fairly complimentary take on James's growth. Who wants to argue with this? this is at least open to discussion. "Everyone will follow him offensively. Look at the teams that win championships, your top guys gotta defend." I think McHale is suggesting it's not enough for James to lead OFFENSIVELY. James has to lead IN ALL AREAS OF THE GAME, and until he does that, his claim to being a true leader will be contested. Again, this is McHale's opinion; you may disagree with his opinion; but then the burden of proof is on you to argue why McHale's OPINION is wrong and yours is right. You can't just get out that burden by saying McFail's a jerk and Larry Bird hates him. "He's getting better. That's a hard thing to put your finger on, why some are great leaders & why some aren't." again, McHale suggesting that there are intangibles to leadership. Go ahead and argue with that. Anyone who has studied military history will be aware that there are great leaders and there are not-so-great leaders. And historians are the first ones to tell you "that's a hard thing to put your finger on, why some are great leaders and why some aren't." "I do think James is trying. After Dwight left, they had a crappy year last year. I think there was a lot of he has to improve and if they get better, it's because he got better, which he has improved." see above. I really don't think McHale is bitter or engaging in James-bashing here. But your mileage may vary. Go ahead and give it your best shot, but just leave the ad hominem attacks against McHale out of your analysis. sorry for the length.
Specifically on the topic of Harden not getting back on defense after turnovers, I think it boils down to one common denominator: Do you want him expending energy on both ends of the floor equally, or do you want him to be an offensive juggernaut? Is it worth it for him to run back on defense and get a LeBron-style block 1 in every 15 turnovers if it means he's out of breath for at least a minute or two after that?? That amounts to many more possessions than just the ones where he turns it over. I'm not saying that he shouldn't be held accountable for the way he handles the ball......I'm simply saying that it's clear that he's playing the long game, and trying not to expend his energy on a possession where the other team is 80% likely to score anyways.
Kevin McHale starts at 2:28 talking about Harden starting at 8:16 on the Dan Le Batard and Stugotz show Talking about Hardens defense http://m.espn.com/general/play?id=18691739&cast=9941853&wjb
interesting hmmm hall of famer, a former nba champion thats been in/around the league for 35+ years and seen it inside out. respected amongst the nba peers. I'd say there's at least some credibility there
Interesting to see so many people agreeing with McHale's criticisms of Harden, when that same opinion espoused by some posters here was largely rejected as hateful. I guess regular fans have no right or legitimacy to criticize Harden's game anymore? I mean he's pointing out exactly the same things. My take is that we can live with Harden's turnovers and lack of defense as long as he shoots the ball well. It becomes really indefensible when those two things occur at the same time with Harden's periodic mini shooting slumps. That's what happened in January, and Harden sure as hell didn't look like the 'best player in the world', did he? Harden has three main weaknesses in his game : streaky shooting, turnovers, and defense. If he manages to clean up just one of them, he will probably be the top 3 player in NBA. If he can eliminate two out of three, many people will regard Harden as the best player in the world. But when poor shooting, turnovers, and less than stellar defense all happen at the same time, he's not playing good basketball at that point. I don't care if he's our franchise player; it's just not.
I don't have issue with anything Mchale said. James Harden offensively is as good as it gets, but he needs to improve defensively. What McHale is saying is that Harden will be a better leader if he improves defensively. Right now he has a tough time motivating his teammates to play better defense because he has no credibility on that end. If he became a good or great defender, then his teammates will respond to him more when he demands more effort from them.
The last few years the leadership on the Rockets were head by Harden and Howard. To be fair, did McHale mention anything about Howard's leadership?
I think you are being unfair here. McHale was asked a very specific question about Harden and leadership. He gave his honest opinion. Also, he seemed to be saying that Harden is trying to improve as a leader. It wasn't all negative. Furthermore, from what I've seen McHale hit the nail on the head. I think Harden has not always been a strong leader. But, this year he seems to be embracing that role and accepting that responsibility more than ever.
Why the hate? 99% was spot on! He has the inside info since he was the coach guys..I totally agree with the not running back, that Harden is trying and that he's just not a natural leader on defense.
