In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Sports on Sunday, the 10-time All-Star revealed why he was willing to sacrifice financially to improve the team, touched on the offseason additions, discussed where he is at physically, talked about working with Joel Embiid and presented the launch of his first wine collection, “J-Harden”. At the end of the Sixers’ 2021-22 season, depth was identified as a significant, glaring weakness. Harden and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey discussed soon after how the team could make a jump into next season. “I had discussions with Daryl and it was explained to me how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever was left over,” Harden told Yahoo Sports. “That’s how bad I want to win. I want to fight for a championship. That’s all I care about at this point. I’m willing to take less to put us in a position to do that.” The Sixers signed defensive specialist PJ Tucker away from Miami to a three-year, $33 million deal. Signed shooter Danuel House to two years, $8.5 million. got combo guard De’Anthony Melton via a trade. and signed Trevelin Queen, the 2021-22 G League MVP. “I think we have a much deeper team,” Harden told Yahoo Sports. “That was something we wanted to address. If you look at our team now, we are able to go much further. I like how we match up with the rest of the top teams.” In order for the Sixers to reach their full potential, Harden will need to return to close to his usual dominant self. The 2018 MVP battled several ailments last season, including a nagging right hamstring injury. The story continues He received a flurry of criticism for his play during the 21 regular-season games he played in Philadelphia after being traded from Brooklyn. His stats didn’t match his typical offensive outbursts, but the 32-year-old veteran still averaged 21 points, 7.1 rebounds and 10.5 assists with the Sixers. “I don’t really listen to what people are saying. I wasn’t right last season and I still almost averaged a triple-double,” Harden told Yahoo Sports. “If someone else had those numbers, we’d be talking about getting the maximum. People were used to seeing me average 40, 30 points, so they saw it as a down year. I was in Philadelphia for a few months and had to learn on the fly. That’s exactly what it was. I’m in a good place physically and mentally at the moment and I’m looking forward to next season.” Harden and fellow superstar Embiid will be tasked with getting everyone on the same page. “I talk to Joel a lot and we have meetings about how we’re going to play and what we need to do to help our team win a championship,” Harden told Yahoo Sports. “When you have two of the top players in their positions in the same team, that’s a great building block. We will grow together and try to lead this team to the top. I believe we can do it together.” In the meantime, Harden is exploring his off-court ventures. He partnered with Accolade Wines to release his first signature wine, “J-Harden,” which will be available for purchase online and through leading retailers in the United States beginning September 1st. Retail value is expected to be $16.99. James Harden has teamed up with Accolade Wines to release a collection of J-HARDEN wines. (Provided by Accolade Wines) “Harden and his team will also have a role in the creative direction, design and styling of the wine. The J-HARDEN label will feature the likeness of Harden’s iconic beard in bold colors and a floral design within a silhouette of Harden’s face,” according to a press release. “As a 10-time NBA All-Star and the third leading 3-point shooter in NBA history, Harden plans to share his personal wine journey with his fans on his social media accounts and introduce J-HARDEN to retailers and buyers around the world.” “I wanted to create a wine that was approachable, but also had some panache,” Harden told Yahoo Sports. “If you look at our bottle design, it stands out. It has some harassment. It is different from all other wine bottles which are more or less the same. We wanted it to stand out and then we’ll hook you with its great taste. We have California Cabernet Sauvignon and a California Red Blend. So we have something for all wine connoisseurs. I am really excited about this opportunity. I think consumers will really love it.” Customers can register for early release access to “J-HARDEN” at www.j-hardenwines.com.
