James Harden Pump Fakes Under 4 Dummies During NBA All-Star Drawing-Fouls Challenge

Image for article titled James Harden Pump Fakes Under 4 Dummies During NBA All-Star Drawing-Fouls Challenge

ATLANTA—Pushing back against the faceless foam defenders before pulling up with a wildly flailing turnaround jumper, Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden pump faked under four dummies Sunday night while participating in the NBA All-Star Game drawing-fouls challenge. “Just watching the way he goes down and throws his arms up after driving through the pylons for a layup, he’s the man to beat this year,” said fellow competitor Trae Young, who started howling and grabbed Devin Booker after Harden drew four quick reach-in fouls while navigating through the “tunnel of arms” section of the course. “I thought Luka [Doncic] was the king when he drew 18 fouls in 60 seconds, including that insane flop on a 3-pointer, but nobody’s gonna beat Harden. He can make even incidental contact on a pull-up look like a flagrant foul, and his body control while pleading with the refs is unreal.” At press time Harden had blown all his second-round competitors out of the water and scored three perfect 10s after drawing a foul off the back of a brand-new Jeep Compass.