One of James Harden’s defining movements for a very long time has been the step-back jumper. Patrick Beverley is now saying that he was the source of inspiration.
Although Patrick Beverley is best renowned for his fierce, tenacious defense, his most exceptional talent may be his shameless self-promotion. He has managed to stay in the forefront of NBA discussion for most of his career while primarily playing the role of a role player thanks to his propensity for creating beef out of thin air and relentless trash talking.
According to him, the Lakers traded him because he wanted out, not because he was inefficient, and he’s still one of the league’s top defenders. He’s also the best offensive rebounding point guard in NBA history. (At his) Chris Paul
Why does Patrick Beverley think he inspired James Harden?
Over the past decade, the step-back jumper has become a ubiquitous offensive move in the arsenal of NBA lead-creators. Perhaps no one is more closely associated with the shot than James Harden — particularly during the 2018-19 season when he launched an NBA-record 1028 3-point attempts, about 140 more than any other player has ever attempted in NBA history.
According to Beverley, Harden got the idea from him.