"Pushing the best out of me": $68,000,000 star makes feelings crystal clear on James Harden's leadership

LA Clippers star James Harden is considered one of the best scorers in basketball. Aside from this, there are also other facets of his game worthy of commendation — including the ones that don't show up on the stat sheet.

On Wednesday, after the Clippers notched their 36th win of the season by defeating the Miami Heat 119-104, Clippers beat writer Joey Linn caught up with Harden's new teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Serbian guard, who is currently signed to a $68 million contract as per Spotrac, talked about Harden fulfilling the role of leader with his work ethic.

"Back-to-back. You see a veteran like James preparing for the game," Bogdanovic told Linn. "Land at 2 AM, fall asleep probably around 4-5 and get ready for today, it’s a huge motivation for me and everyone else. He leads by example, we follow.”

Bogdanovic, who finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to lead the Clippers, described the impact of the 11-time All-Star's leadership on him.

"Amazing competitor. He is pushing the best out of me. And he’s just trying to compete and win every single game," Bogdanovic added.

Against Miami, the Beard had his own double-double with 24 points and 11 assists, along with eight rebounds and two steals. Though Harden had a subpar shooting night (6-for-20 from the field), his +15 on the plus/minus column was second only to Bogi's +19.

The Clippers now sit at no. 8 in the Western Conference standings. They are within striking distance of an outright playoff spot and if there's anyone that the team will count on to lead the way in this crucial stretch, it's Harden.

---

James Harden on new teammate's season-high scoring performance: "We needed it"

After the Clippers defeated the Heat, Linn also caught up with Harden who was asked to comment on Bogdanovic's season-high 30 points. Harden made it clear that Bogi's production is vital to the Clippers' offense.

"We needed it. I was on his a**. He needed to be aggressive. He’s so good, especially offensively, that if he’s reluctant or not shooting the basketball or not being aggressive it hurts our team," Harden told Linn.

Comments like these underscore the growth of Harden as a leader — the very role that Bogi showed appreciation for on that same night.