“He Can Literally Average 35”: James Harden’s Stunning Praise for Donovan Mitchell Reveals the Chemistry Driving Cleveland’s Title Chase
“Being on his team, he can go out there and literally average 35 points a game. But his willingness to pass and be unselfish it’s a testament to what type of person he is, what type of basketball player he is.”
In the wake of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ blockbuster trade deadline acquisition of the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer, James Harden has wasted no time anointing his new backcourt partner with the highest form of professional respect.
For Harden, this isn’t just empty media diplomacy. It’s a specific, technical observation about sacrifice from a player who has spent two decades watching superstars struggle to share the same oxygen.
The Quote in Context: What Harden Actually Said
The full quote, captured from Harden’s comments and shared across social media platforms, cuts to the heart of what makes the Mitchell-Harden pairing potentially special:
“Being on his team, he can go out there and literally average 35 points a game. But his willingness to pass and be unselfish it’s a testament to what type of person he is, what type of basketball player he is.”
This is not Harden praising Mitchell’s scoring everyone already knows Mitchell can score. This is Harden praising Mitchell’s restraint. The implication is clear: Mitchell possesses the talent to be a volume scorer in the elite tier, yet he chooses to prioritize team success over individual counting stats.
A Partnership Forged Long Before Cleveland
The easy chemistry between Harden and Mitchell didn’t materialize overnight. Their relationship predates this trade by years.
Harden’s public praise, then, is not the obligatory politeness of a new employee. It’s the endorsement of a peer who has watched Mitchell’s evolution from a distance and now finds himself the direct beneficiary of it.
The Shared Hunger: Two Careers, One Unfinished Business
What unites Harden and Mitchell more than any stylistic fit is a common professional ache.
Mitchell has been even more direct in recent days. “You see what’s here. There’s a window. This is the window. This is the time… The organization is basically saying, this is the time. And I love it.”
This is not the measured optimism of a player hedging expectations. This is a star demanding the pressure, embracing the stakes, and publicly daring his team to meet the moment.
The Verdict: A Testament, Not Just a Quote
James Harden’s words about Donovan Mitchell matter because they are specific. He didn’t praise Mitchell’s talent everyone sees that. He praised Mitchell’s choice.
In an era where superstars are defined by their statistical entitlement, Harden is publicly acknowledging a teammate who could chase 35 points per game and simply… doesn’t.
The season will deliver its verdict. The playoffs will test their partnership in ways regular-season blowouts cannot. But for now.