CHAPTER 1 NEW YEAR’S PARTY It was New Year’s Eve and James Harden was having a party The star guard was all over the court His Houston Rockets were taking on the New York Knicks in a 2016 regular-season battle Harden took control of the game early He made powerful drives to the basket He hit finesse shots from long distance Harden launches a three-pointer over Knicks guard Derrick Rose 5
And when he wasn’t shooting he was dishing out perfect passes to teammates He crashed the boards to collect rebounds too Harden piled up stats all night long He completed a triple-double (cid:144)(cid:143) minutes into the third quarter And he just kept going THE BEARD THE BEARD THE BEARD Harden is known as much for his facial hair as for Harden is known as much for his facial hair as for Harden is known as much for his facial hair as for his basketball talent Harden’s big bushy beard his basketball talent Harden’s big bushy beard his basketball talent Harden’s big bushy beard has become his trademark feature Harden says has become his trademark feature Harden says has become his trademark feature Harden says he stopped shaving in high school and the beard he stopped shaving in high school and the beard he stopped shaving in high school and the beard he stopped shaving in high school and the beard has taken on a life of its own ever since Fans love has taken on a life of its own ever since Fans love has taken on a life of its own ever since Fans love has taken on a life of its own ever since Fans love the beard To honor Harden they chant Fear the the beard To honor Harden they chant Fear the the beard To honor Harden they chant Fear the beard 6
Harden 13 drives to the basket against the Knicks Despite Harden’s amazing efforts the game remained close New York pulled to within three points in the fourth quarter But Harden wasn’t about to let his team lose He drew a foul and drained his free throws on the next possession 7
