James Harden Takes On A Major New Role with the Los Angeles Clippers
Oct 13, 2025
The Los Angeles Clippers have put together one of the deepest teams in the entire Western Conference, and as a result, they enter the 2025–26 NBA season full of hope and optimism. Despite all of the offseason drama involving Kawhi Leonard, this team has locked in through the preseason, and with one of the best starting lineups in the league, it's easy to see why they're confident.
To succeed, however, they're relying on many veterans, including James Harden, who was once again solid for the team last season, posting 23 points, 9 assists, and 6 boards per game. Now, in 2025–26, he's set to take on a major new role with the team, as it has now been revealed that Harden has become the Clippers' vocal leader in the locker room.
“Leonard is a quiet but supportive locker room player, but the Clippers needed more. They believe they've found that player in Harden. Harden has pushed his teammates and coaches to be at their best in pursuit of getting to the NBA Finals.”
While it may not seem so surprising on paper, Leonard is the face of this franchise, and with the likes of Chris Paul also on this team, it would make sense if one of those players were the leader in the locker room. However, Harden is a veteran in his own right, and with the star guard looking to finally make a deep run in the NBA playoffs, he's taking the leadership into his own hands.
