James Harden has a massive fan base in Asia, especially in China, where the Clippers star is revered as one of the greatest players of all time. From addressing Daryl Morey's controversy in 2019 to calling Morey out and announcing his exit from the 76ers in 2023, Harden has always kept it real with his Chinese fans.
Now, on his most recent trip to China, Harden has come under public scrutiny for seemingly adding a few pounds to his weight. While thousands of fans in China gathered together to welcome Harden to their country, fans online were more concerned about the Clippers star's fitness situation.
A clip from Harden's visit to China went viral, and fans flooded social media with jokes and also showed concerns over his weight. Not all fans were just making jokes about him. Some even believed that this was a part of his usual cycle, and he would transform his body back into fitness by the time the season begins in October.
"He gained all the weight Luka lost," said a fan who compared Harden's fitness to Luka Doncic's body transformation this summer.
"Kendrick Perkins would look skinny next to Harden."
"He's gotta be wearing that fat suit, there's no way."
"Please tell me he got some enemies and he’s wearing a vest or something."
"James Harden definitely found all the buffets out there in China."
"James Harden looks like he absorbed Luka Doncic like Cell from Dragon Ball Z."
"Lmao yall stay body watching bro it’s the offseason he’ll come in the season in shape and stay in shape until the next offseason."
"That’s a typical preseason Harden."
"This is just a sneak peek at how James Harden will likely look as soon as he retires from the NBA. Bro wants to enjoy them meals and millions in peace, and I feel him."
"He still gone hit that step back on em is the crazy thing," said a faithful fan who believed that Harden could still perform at the same level as he did despite the weight gain.
The Clippers' star reportedly was a key reason why Chris Paul and Bradley Beal joined them this season. Days after signing his $81.5 million extension with the Clippers, Harden is now having the time of his life vacationing in China. The All-Star guard finished last season while averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds in the regular season.
This is not the first time we have seen a major transformation in Harden's physique headed into the offseason. NBA players' bodies transform at a much faster rate than non-athletes, seemingly due to their increased rate of metabolism.
Won't be a surprise if somehow Harden manages to lose all the weight he has gained by the time the next season begins. But with passing time and age, will Harden be able to bounce back once again? Or are we seeing a decline towards retirement for the 35-year-old star?
I expect that we will see a repeat of the same cycle, and Harden will be back to his prime fitness by the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
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