James Harden high-fives his cool haircut (Getty Images)
Muscle memory is a funny thing. Square up to toss a crumpled-up piece of paper into a trash can or dirty towel into a hamper, and you're likely to use the same shooting motion you utilized during your time as a basketball player. No matter, especially in my case, how misguided that motion might be.
Humor is a funny thing. If you have a sense of humor and you attempt to do funny things, these funny things will turn out funny. It's science, people.
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James Harden is full of both good shooting muscle memory and a marvy sense of humor. Which is why, in an NBA tradition dating back years, he gave some imaginary teammates some dap on Monday after nailing a technical free throw:
(To those who might be chiming in without a deep knowledge of NBA basketball — a technical free throw is performed without teammates or opponents surrounding the key, as it is technically in a dead ball situation and there is no potential for a rebound.)
Of course, Harden has his influences. NBA luminaries that shaped his reflexes in ways that go beyond muscle memory.
There's Gary Neal, looking for love in all the wrong places:
And Kevin Love, patiently waiting out Wesley Johnson's human touch:
Then, of course, there's the granddaddy of them all … Andrew Bogut's smart-aleck low-five attempts in the presence of teammates that actually wouldn't step over to five the guy:
It's a storied history, James Harden, and we thank you for continuing to add to its legacy.
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