James Harden’s arrival in Houston in 2012 was the start of a new era for the Rockets. Coming from Oklahoma City, he immediately signed a five-year, $80 million extension and transformed the franchise’s identity. Over nine seasons, Harden showed off his prowess with his assists and guided them to eight straight playoff appearances. He later signed a four-year, $118 million extension in 2016, then a supermax extension in 2017 that brought his total guaranteed earnings in Houston to about $228 million. Now, he’s agreed to an $81.5 million deal with the Clippers, but his Houston years remain unforgettable.

A year after Harden’s debut season, the Rockets added Dwight Howard, signing him to a four-year, $88 million deal in 2013. Howard’s presence boosted the team’s defense and inside scoring. His impact was immediate, helping Houston become a serious playoff contender. Off the court, however, Howard faced challenges, including a $7 million fraud scam that he later described as feeling like “a slap in the face.” Despite those setbacks, his pairing with Harden gave the Rockets one of the league’s most feared inside-out combinations during their three seasons together.

In a recent video shared by Run It Back, Chandler Parsons recalled what it was like playing with Harden. “Oh boy. You know what? Honestly, when he came to the Rockets, that was like when the Rockets just started getting good.” He further spoke on how this new addition to the team, coupled with the inclusion of a star player, “That’s when we started winning games. We got Dwight Howard and that’s when he’s honestly- we kind of became contenders…”

However, that wasn’t all the praise he had for Harden! He added, “Just playing with him, people talk about how he’s a scorer. Dude, he passes the ball so much. He made my life so much easier, just literally really playing off him.” For a shooter and cutter like Parsons, that meant more open shots and more chances to score without having to force the play himself. “He was one of my favorite teammates, honestly, ever,” he revealed.

Interestingly, when asked about off-court stories, Parsons laughed. “I sure do, but not for FanDuel TV.” Their bond went beyond statistics, built on mutual trust and on-court chemistry. Together, they brought Houston nights full of highlight plays, unspoken understanding, and a shared belief they could win it all. And this is not the first time Parson has defended Harden against the claims of ‘ball hogging.’

James Harden and Parsons’ growth from misunderstanding to mutual respect

Back in 2014, a small media storm swirled around James Harden and Chandler Parsons. Harden had told reporters that he and Dwight Howard were the “cornerstones” of the Rockets and “everybody else is a role player.” Many saw it as a dig at Parsons, who soon tweeted, “Think before you speak.”

Speculation grew, but both players were at USA Basketball training camp that summer, which gave them time to talk. As Parsons explained, “We’ve been in the casinos together and everything… There are no hard feelings.”

Harden also made it clear there was never any personal issue. “There was never really any back and forth,” he said. “I never said anything about Chandler. Chandler is in Dallas right now. I was just talking about my teammates… Chandler and me are cool. We’re good.” What seemed like a brewing feud quickly became a non-story, smoothed over by conversations in Las Vegas and time spent on the same scrimmage teams. The so-called tension faded before the season even began.

Fast forward to March this year, and Parsons had nothing but praise for Harden. After Harden’s 50-point night against the Pistons, Parsons said, “The guy’s just a professional bucket-getter, he’s been doing this his whole career… He’s also not slowing down at all.”

For Parsons to mention Harden alongside LeBron, Steph, and KD showed the genuine respect between them. Whatever friction fans thought existed a decade ago, their relationship today is defined by admiration. Harden’s consistency, averaging 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists this season, has only strengthened that.