Nick Wright has a reputation for being one of the boldest voices in sports media—but even he knows when to own up to a mistake. After James Harden's latest postseason dud, Wright did something rare: he apologized.
Let's set the stage. Harden is an 11-time NBA All-Star, a three-time scoring champion, and the 2017-18 MVP. But his playoff resume tells a different story. In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Detroit Pistons 107-97, dropping into a 2-0 series hole. Harden managed just 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, missing all four of his three-point attempts. He committed a team-high four turnovers and posted a game-worst plus/minus of -15. For a veteran star expected to deliver in clutch moments, it was a performance that left fans and analysts shaking their heads.
On Friday's episode of First Things First on FS1, the criticism was swift—and Wright took it a step further. He issued a public apology to other athletes he had previously compared to Harden, including NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and MLB superstar Aaron Judge.
"I would like to apologize to Lamar Jackson, and Aaron Judge, and any other athlete who's an all-time great regular-season player, who hit some speed bumps in the postseason that I have compared to James Harden," Wright said. "There is only one James Harden. There will ever only be one James Harden."
Wright went on to call out Harden's history of playoff struggles, pointing to key moments: a 2-for-10 outing in the NCAA Tournament against Syracuse, a tough NBA Finals performance with Oklahoma City, a Game 6 letdown with the Rockets, an 1-for-10 elimination game in Brooklyn, and a decisive Game 6 flop in Philadelphia. For Wright, the pattern is undeniable.
Co-host Chris Broussard piled on, saying, "Shame on the Cavaliers for thinking James Harden was going to solve your playoff woes."
Whether you agree with Wright or not, one thing is clear: when it comes to postseason criticism, James Harden remains in a category all his own.