Count wrestling legend Ric Flair among those who believe Houston Rockets guard James Harden deserved another Most Valuable Player (MVP) award last season.
Flair was in Houston on Wednesday for the baseball game between the Astros and Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid Park, where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
When speaking with local media before the game, Flair made clear that in addition to the Astros, he’s also a big supporter of the Rockets.
Flair said:
I’ve been a Rockets fan for years, too. I love James Harden. Who doesn’t, right? And he should have won the MVP. That’s for you, James. How do you not like him? He should have been the MVP. Gosh, what did he average, 35 points a game this year?
Harden actually averaged a career-high 36.1 points last season, along with 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game. However, after winning the NBA’s MVP award in 2018, he finished second to Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2019 voting.
Harden addressed the voting in his own interview Wednesday by saying he’s focused on controlling what he can control.
“One for the books,” Harden told Houston’s 97.9 The Box of his 2018-19 season. “Even when I’m gone, they’re going to talk about it.”
“But it’s out of my control,” Harden said of the MVP results. “The only thing I can control is coming back next year and being better than I was, and winning a [championship].”
Flair is officially recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) as a 16-time world champion.
