“Mentally, it was very, very difficult for me. A lot of dark moments, which I’ve never really went through,” said James Harden when describing his weight loss journey back in 2022. Longtime NBA fans might remember how, following a long line of hamstring injuries throughout his tenure with the Brooklyn Nets, and following his February 2022 trade to the 76ers, the veteran had gained quite a lot of weight. He spent the offseason getting it right, reportedly focusing on muscle tone and muscle mass. Knowing how gruelling the ordeal was of losing that much weight, James Harden certainly would not want to go through with it again. However, a social media user is now implying that it’s exactly what the now Clippers star might have to do.

The official X account of ‘BricksCenter’ recently highlighted a post. It featured ‘The Beard’ practicing on the court, visibly more obese than usual! The same is certainly not an AI-generated photo, since an account with the name ‘NBA Memes’, boasting over 666,700 followers, also highlighted the video from which the picture was taken. With less than 4 months remaining until the next NBA season begins, this is certainly not the condition anyone expected him to be in.

When such claims are made, one has to be doubly sure about their authenticity. After all, X pages like ‘NBA Centel’ and ‘Scams Charania’ have made a name for themselves by genuinely promoting fake news stories (and the rest of us falling for it!).

Unfortunately, after verifying the clip from several X sources, we can confirm that the video is 100% real and was shot recently. His body structure in the video aligns with how Harden has been looking recently, as he is currently touring China to promote his Adidas shoes.

If he weren’t an athlete, no one would have cared much about the weight Harden gained or lost. Unfortunately, not only is he an NBA player, he is the unofficial leader of the Los Angeles Clippers. The team has recently gone through some major changes, among which was the acquisition of renowned veteran Chris Paul.

Paul and Harden had previously been on the same Houston Rockets squad for 2 seasons. Under their leadership, the team had its best win record, an impressive 65 games, during the 2017-18 season. Therefore, fans were certainly excited to see them reunited. However, that hope will be diminished after Harden returns to the United States.

CP3 and the Clippers fanbase won’t be the only people left disheartened if Harden does not lose the weight by the time the next season commences. Anthony Edwards might be a part of that list, too. After all, he wouldn’t probably be at the stage where he is today if it weren’t for the inspiration gained from the NBA veteran.

Anthony Edwards revealed being inspired by James Harden to bulk up: “his arms pretty cut up”

James Harden went through a major body transformation back in 2022. Before that, he had been criticised over commitment issues and for being overweight. The athlete took both of the criticisms to heart and spent the majority time in the gym. Soon, images began to circulate of Harden in the gym, working out shirtless. His figure was impressively lean, the muscles in his arms were bulging, and the player was lifting weights as if they were nothing. Pictures like those could inspire anyone. Even a star NBA player.

Back in October 2022, NBA journalist Dane Moore highlighted details of a discussion with Anthony Edwards. Back then, the Timberwolves star stood at 6-foot-4 and weighed 225lbs. From the start, he was showing glimpses of a young Michael Jordan. However, when asked about who inspired him to build up his body to this level, Edwards replied, “I think when I saw James, James Harden, finally. I didn’t play him my first year, and I saw him, and he was big as hell. I’m talking about his arms. His arms pretty cut up. I was like I’m trying to get a little definition.”

Anthony Edwards was inspired and was willing to show his commitment to be like Harden. After all, Moore also revealed that “Anthony Edwards said he didn’t eat any fried foods Monday-Thursday this offseason — and said he’s not going to have any fried foods during the season. I asked about Popeyes. He said not even Popeyes — and definitely won’t be ordering McDonalds at press conferences anymore.” That’s dedication!

We might be going too strong on James Harden. He still has time to lose that weight and be ready for the upcoming season. However, he had better move fast. The clock is ticking.