NBA All-Star James Harden showed off his new Adidas kicks early last month, wearing them during a pick-up game in Los Angeles.
While Harden has had a tough time on the court recently, he’s still one of the biggest names in the league and there’s little in the way of opposition when it comes to his legacy as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
The veteran guard signed a 13-year deal with German sportswear giants Adidas to the tune of $200 million back in 2015, a partnership that has seen the production of seven signature sneakers.
Harden was seen debuting the Adidas Harden Vol. 7 during said run-in at the Rico Hines gym back in August, with photographer Cassy Athena posting several clear images to Instagram to give fans a look at the upcoming release. Athena was also the one who gave us a first look at Steph Curry’s newest signature shoes earlier this year.
This latest iteration of the Harden line looks nothing like previous releases and his fans are likely looking forward to the futuristic-looking kicks becoming available via retail outlets. These new sneakers bring the suede toe cap from the very first versions, the Harden Vol. 1, back. But there's no branding on the side panels. The heel and tongue appear to be the only places displaying the Adidas stripes.
Adidas has yet to disclose a release date for the Harden Vol. 7 but it is likely to be out by the time the 2022/23 NBA season rolls around. NBA basketball is scheduled to return less than two months from now, on October 18, and there should be more to go on as teams head into training camp this month.
Harden has achieved a lot since entering the NBA in 2009. A 10-time All-Star, three-time scoring champion, and the league’s MVP in 2018, the 33-year-old has made the All-NBA First Team on six occasions. A championship, however, continues to elude him. The player will hope to capture one with the Philadelphia 76ers this season, having teamed up with the likes of Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris last term.
The Pennsylvania sports betting sites will reflect how fans feel about their team heading into the campaign and, at the moment, the Sixers are 15/1 to win their first title since 1983. The addition of veteran forward P.J. Tucker will certainly help in that regard.
Philly was rumored to be a possible landing spot for Harden’s former teammate Kevin Durant but it appears the two-time NBA Finals MVP is staying put for now. Harden and Durant played together at Oklahoma City and in Brooklyn but their last spell together didn’t go so well.
Harden forced a move out of Brooklyn, something KD attempted to do this offseason but was unable to due to the fact that he has a four-year deal in place with the Nets.
It’s reported that the former teammates had a falling out but they’re thought to be on good terms now. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, there are no hard feelings between the two superstars in spite of how their partnership ended in Brooklyn.
They were also recently spotted together backstage at a Travis Scott concert in London.
Prior to the Nets announcing they have patched things up with Durant and are moving forward together, it was understood that there were high-ranking members of the Sixers’ organization who wanted to engage in discussions with Brooklyn over a potential trade.
Durant had informed the team of his wish to be traded in June and the Nets agreed to work with him to find a new home, but no team was willing to give them what they wanted in exchange for one of the greatest players in the history of the league and certainly the most dangerous scorer in today’s game.
The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were said to be the player’s preferred destinations and more recent reports claimed he had warmed up to the idea of reuniting with Harden in Philadelphia.
That would have certainly made for must-watch TV. A trio consisting of Harden, Durant, and Embiid would have certainly been the favorites to win a championship next season but it appears KD is remaining in Brooklyn, as is Kyrie Irving.
There are still moves that could be made ahead of the beginning of the upcoming NBA campaign and it will be interesting to see if the Sixers do anything else, having done their business pretty early in snatching Tucker following his very productive season in Miami, who he helped fire to the Eastern Conference Finals.