Kevin Durant: Nobody 'really appreciates' ex-teammate James Harden

Despite becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to post a season-long stat-line of 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds, Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden was controversially left off all three All-NBA teams in late May, and now, his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant is speaking out on his behalf.

"Nobody really appreciates what he does except for the players in our league," Durant said Sunday per The Houston Chronicle. "Everybody on the outside doesn't really appreciate what he brings. Anybody that can put up 29 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and not make the All-NBA team, that's like a sin to even think about not putting a guy like that on the All-NBA team.

The guards who earned All-NBA honors last season ahead of Harden: Durant's current Golden State Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; his former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook; and Chris Paul, Damian Lillard and Kyle Lowry.

"As a player and someone that played with (Harden) and a fan of the game I was (angry) because somebody is right here in front of you and you can't appreciate him," Durant continued. "If he were to retire tomorrow, we would have so many stories and videos about how great he is, but he's here right now doing it. Appreciate what he brings."

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