James Harden’s adidas China tour ignited massive excitement among basketball fans as a Guangzhou mall became packed with thousands of supporters across multiple generations. The Los Angeles Clippers guard drew an immense crowd clad in jerseys representing his stints with the Rockets, Nets, Sixers, and Clippers during this annual adidas event.
The tour is tied to the launch of the Harden Vol. 9 shoe and included appearances across several cities such as Foshan and Shenzhen. Fans flooded the mall, spanning all four floors to catch a glimpse of the 11-time <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA All-Star. Harden interacted warmly with fans by signing shoes, jerseys, and basketball cards, making the event memorable for participants of all ages.
Highlights of the Uno Fest Celebrate Harden’s Basketball Journey
Uno Fest, a key component of Harden’s tour, showcased his basketball legacy through various festivities. The event featured a live performance by rapper Gali, energizing the crowd alongside giveaways promoting the new shoe release. The crowd’s enthusiasm was captured in a viral video showing fans chanting Harden’s name and waving posters as he entered the venue, reflecting his lasting appeal in China and beyond.
James Harden had this mall in Guangzhou City completely packed with thousands of fans there for his annual adidas tour.You can see everything from Thunder, Rockets, Nets, and Clippers jerseys to the Harden Vol. 7’s, 8’s and 9’s. pic.twitter.com/SzZJJP7DsP
—Tomer Azarly, Sports Reporter
James Harden’s Continued Impact Beyond the Court
The tour will continue through August 6 before Harden returns to Los Angeles to prepare for the upcoming NBA season. The scale of fan engagement during this event highlights Harden’s influence not only as a player but also as a cultural icon supported by his longstanding partnership with adidas.
Former Teammate Reflects on Harden’s Role with the Philadelphia 76ers
Tyrese Maxey, Harden’s former teammate on the Philadelphia 76ers, praised Harden’s selfless playing style during his time in Philadelphia. Joining the 76ers in 2021, Harden shifted his focus from scoring to playmaking, leading the NBA in assists during the 2022-23 season with 10.7 per game while still averaging 21 points.
He got me a lot of easy shots,
Maxey shared on The Deep Three podcast.
From day one, when he came in, the first thing he said to me was, ‘Listen, don’t think you’re not going to get the ball. Don’t think you’re not about to still be aggressive and keep building your game.
His first instinct was always, whether we scored or didn’t, he was going to pitch it ahead to me—let me score in transition, play that one-on-one game, shoot—whatever the case may be,
Maxey added, highlighting Harden’s leadership on court.
The partnership among Harden, Maxey, and Joel Embiid helped the 76ers achieve a 54-win season and a deep playoff run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Maxey attributes much of his growth to Harden’s encouragement to remain assertive and aggressive throughout games.