Gilbert Arenas firmly sided with Dwyane Wade in the debate that has the NBA world’s attention these days. He preferred Wade over James Harden in response to Patrick Beverley’s claims that Harden is better at basketball than Wade, as both are often compared for their abilities as shooting guards.
Why Gilbert Arenas Would Draft Dwyane Wade Over James Harden
Beverley played with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 and wrapped up his NBA career before moving to the Israeli Basketball Premier League, where he actively hosts his eponymous podcast, “The Pat Bev Show.” A topic of debate has been making noise in the NBA world after Beverley drew a comparison between virtuoso Wade and one of the greatest scorers, Harden.
He bluntly said that while Wade has clutch abilities, sometimes even better than Harden’s, he cannot surpass him when it comes to the ultimate question, “Who is the better player?” He emphasized that Wade’s play is driven by team effort to win a championship, while Harden has excelled individually.
Arenas, in a recent episode analyzing controversial claims, said he would pick Dwyane Wade any day in a one-player draft. He reasoned that the latter, who is Miami’s all-time leader in points, games played, assists, steals, shots made, and shots taken, would traditionally cover all spots and bring so much more to the game than Harden.
MORE: NBA Champion Details Why It’s Unfair to Factor In Rings When Debating Dwyane Wade vs. James Harden
“So, if you’re going to say, ‘Who am I going to draft as just a one player?’, you’re going with Dwyane Wade because he covers a lot of spots. If he’s not scoring, he turns into a lockdown defender. He passes. He rebounds. There’s just so much Wade brings to the game,” he said.
The three-time All-Defensive Team member, widely recognized as “The Flash,” also addressed similar past claims by Paul Pierce, presenting his case as a player who excelled across multiple facets of basketball, something few could match. He also took pride in his career, which earned him a spot among the NBA’s Top 75 players despite injury setbacks.
“You experienced a portion of my game, when I was winning championships, you weren’t even around. You didn’t get to feel the wrath. My career was hit by injuries and I still had a top 75 career. You don’t know the wrath of me as a player, you know a portion, and you still couldn’t f*ck with me then.”
This season, Harden, the only player among the aforementioned names currently active in the NBA, has remained an integral part of his team. He has maintained strong averages in points, rebounds, and assists per game and is projected to make the 2026 NBA playoffs.
