Sights and sounds from James Harden's return to Houston

Benyam Kidane

Sights and sounds from James Harden's return to Houston image

James Harden made his first appearance back in Houston after being traded to the Nets, receiving a mixed reaction from the 3,000 person crowd in attendance. 

Amidst a chorus of cheers and some boos, he went about his business leading the Nets to a 132-114 win, recording his eighth triple-double in a Nets uniform with 29 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. 

“A lot of mixed emotions from the fans but I knew that was going to happen," Harden said. “I just wanted to come out here and give them a show."

Prior to the game, Rockets Governor Tilman Fertitta expressed his gratitude for Harden's run in Houston, confirming the nine-time All-Star will have his jersey up in the rafters once it's all said and done. 

“James Harden will always be a Rocket,” Fertitta told the Houston Chronicle. “Of course, we will retire his jersey. He made my first three years of owning the franchise unforgettable. The success he brought this franchise over eight years and the memories he created for our fan base/community [are] truly remarkable.”

Below, find some of the best sights and sounds from Harden's return to Houston.

A fitting tribute

The Rockets honoured Harden with a touching tribute video on the big screens, chronicling his time in Houston — from arriving from OKC, limitless highlight-reel plays, to growing into an MVP, as well as his huge impact on the city. 

The Houston crowd delivered an ovation of cheers after the video played, thanking Harden for his time in Houston. 

The 31-year-old continues to give back to the Houston community, who have been affected by recent winter snowstorms. He donated 3,000 meals for needy residents as well as 100 meals a day to five different schools, and assisting a low-income senior center.

Harden's reaction

During the timeout when the video played, Harden thanked the few fans in the arena with a wave. 

Old friends

Harden shared a moment with Rockets General manager Rafael Stone.

#harden

....and his good friend P.J. Tucker, who played alongside Harden for three seasons in Houston.  

#Harden

Fan love

After the game, Harden signed his sneakers and tossed them into the crowd, into the arms of a pair of Houston fans. 

Whil the relationship between the star player and the franchise deteriorated, leading to his trade to Brooklyn, it was a happy homecoming at Toyota Center. 

"A lot of mixed emotions from the fans," Harden told ESPN after the game. ... "Credit to the ownership of the Rockets, the Fertitta family for putting my jersey in the rafters. Hopefully that shows — on the court, off the court — the contributions that I had to this city.

"I appreciate the support, love — the show goes on."

A lasting legacy

When his jersey is eventually retired by the Rockets, he will be just the seventh player to receive the honour, joining Calvin Murphy, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Rudy Tomjanovich, Clyde Drexler and Yao Ming.

In his eight full seasons with the franchise, Harden led the Rockets to the playoffs every year, including two Conference Finals appearances in 2015 and 2018, winning three scoring titles and an MVP.

With career averages of 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 621 career regular-season games, Harden is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in franchise history. 

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Benyam Kidane

Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor and has been covering the league for The Sporting News since 2016. In his spare time you can find him watching Allen Iverson highlights on repeat.