76ers' James Harden: 'I Feel Like I'm One of the Best Teammates the NBA's Seen'

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden disputed the notion he's a bad teammate after seeking trades away from both the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets within a span of 13 months.

"That's the media that says that," Harden told reporters Friday after making his Sixers debut in a 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. "I feel like I'm one of the best teammates that the NBA has seen, on the court and off the court."

Harden enjoyed a strong first outing for Philly. He tallied 27 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes, showing no lingering signs of the hamstring injury that hampered him late in his Brooklyn tenure.

While the new-look Sixers offense is a work in progress, there were glimpses of exactly how dangerous the team will be moving forward when both Harden and center Joel Embiid are clicking offensively, especially in pick-and-roll situations.

Embiid finished the night with a game-high 34 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 28 as the 76ers pulled away with 41 points in the fourth quarter.

"We're unselfish, we just want to win," Harden said. "We've got guys, from top to bottom, that it feels that way on the court. Great things are going to happen more times than not. My job is to come in and add to each individual on this team."

The strong performance came after Embiid explained earlier Friday his initial interactions with Harden were nothing but positive.

"I mean, it's funny, you see all the stories that are out there, and all that stuff, and obviously we all see it," Embiid told reporters. "It's completely different than what you see out there. He's a great person, a great personality, always smiling, fun to be around. Everything, really."

It's early, but the partnership between Embiid and Harden is off to a promising start and the Sixers, who played well over .500 basketball even before the blockbuster trade, are on the path toward becoming a bona fide championship contender.

Winning tends to solve most issues in sports, and the Harden situation is no different. He was able to get himself away from Houston and Brooklyn in order to land in Philadelphia, which he previously described as his "first choice."

If it works and the Sixers capture a championship, the bad teammate talk will likely fade away. If not, those talking points will likely re-emerge.