Harden’s potential as a superstar was apparent during his time in OKC, but he admitted that departing the Thunder allowed him to fully expand his wings. “Probably not… It’s hard to say, but I was eventually going to have to start starting because it was cracking. I did that because of the sacrifice for the team, and it made us better as a group. But by my fourth year, my swag was getting there, and I wasn’t no sixth man anymore. I already got that. But it was over $4 million. A blessing though because coming off the Finals, which I didn’t play… and then the Olympics, having the opportunity to be around all those vets, I go to my first year in Houston and go yaya.”