Manu Ginobili officially passes Euro-step torch to James Harden
San Antonio Spurs master of the Eurostep says the Rockets' MVP has the best back-and-forth hipstep move in the league.
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
The Euro-step has exploded in popularity over the last 10 years, and shooting guards in particular have adapted it as an essential part of their arsenal. The hip-twisting move not only leaves stationary defenders who are trying to take a charge helpless, but is also increases the ability for a player to draw contact and the foul. It is the basketball equivalent of the juke button in Madden and it leaves defenders in the dust.
For the longest time, the best Eurostep in the league belonged to San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili.
However, ESPN noted in a terrific profile on Houston Rockets guard James Harden that Ginobili now considers The Beard to have the best Eurostep in the land:
Harden, who averaged 27.4 points, 7.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds a game last season, owns a lethally diverse repertoire. When asked about specific on-court influences, he cites three: Bryant's monomaniacal drive (no one carried a heavier offensive load last season than Harden); Manu Ginobili's southpaw creativity (the maestro of the Euro step now deems Harden's the best in the league); and Paul Pierce's blend of pace, trash-talk and step-back jumpers. But it is a more polarizing trait that brings Morey to replay transition buckets with the lonely righteousness of Galileo discussing the orbit of Earth.
Source: Rockets guard James Harden has found a place to excel, show strengths in Houston.
The big thing with Harden compared to Ginobili is that he has, pardon the expression, insanely wide and quick hips. You have to think the dude is crazy on the dance floor with the way his mid-section rotates.
The move isn't just aesthetic, either. It's functional, even in clutch-time situations:
Harden has made the move his and you can bet that a lot of players coming up will look to mimic it, just as Harden adopted his after Ginobili's and Wade's. It's still pretty cool to see that Ginobili recognizes Harden's as the best in the game. Something for young players to look for.
