James Harden is a bigger superstar than Kawhi Leonard, claims Paul Pierce

As per Paul Pierce, an NBA superstar is a player who has a lasting impact on American pop-culture along with their impact on the court.

James Harden is a bigger superstar than Kawhi Leonard, claims Paul Pierce

James Harden is a bigger superstar than Los Angeles Clippers teammate Kawhi Leonard due to his influence on culture

In the quest to bring home their first championship, the Los Angeles Clippers added James Harden via trade this off-season. Harden teamed up with their trio of superstars, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook. Paul Pierce gave his take on the actual superstar of the Clippers.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussed what makes a superstar on their show Ticket & The Truth on All the Smoke. When Garnett mentioned accolades as a defining moment for being called a superstar, Pierce asked him a simple question. He wanted to know if Kawhi Leonard was a bigger superstar than Harden. Garnett thought so, but Pierce had a different take on the matter. This is what he said:

I don't know, James Harden is a bigger superstar than Kawhi Leonard. And Kawhi did win this, won that. And Harden got the shoes people buy. Harden is a bigger superstar than Kawhi. An influence.......on and off the court.
Paul Pierce via Ticket & The Truth
YouTube video

With that logic, Garnett agreed that James Harden was a bigger superstar than his championship-winning teammate. Garnett initially nodded toward Kawhi Leonard as the superstar of the Los Angeles Clippers. This was due to the two NBA titles and two Finals MVPs. Even though the Clippers’ success hinges on Leonard’s health, Pierce believed Harden surpassed Leonard in terms of superstardom.

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Pierce added that James Harden had a larger fan base than Leonard and his influence in American pop culture was significantly higher than that of Leonard. Harden’s style of play in the 2010s and his scoring threat was a sight to behold. Hence, Pierce might have correctly assessed the superstar status between Leonard and Harden.

Paul Pierce reveals other superstars in the league besides James Harden

The discussion continued with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussing the players currently in the NBA with superstardom. They mutually agreed upon the obvious names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. However, when it came to international players, Pierce felt their superstar status existed in their own countries and did not have the same impact on American pop culture.

They also talked about up-and-coming superstars such as Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They agreed that Edwards has elevated himself as the potential future face of the NBA. The former teammates disagreed on the topic of Gilgeous-Alexander. Garnett spoke highly of the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s impact. On the other hand, Pierce believed he had yet to reach the same level as James Harden.

They felt when one influenced the culture, they could earn the title of a superstar. That is where James Harden beats Los Angeles Clippers teammate Kawhi Leonard.

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