Chinese fans draw a comparison between James Harden and Confucius
This comparison stems from Harden's exceptional playmaking skills. Throughout his career, many teammates have reached new career heights after playing alongside him. For this reason, Chinese netizens playfully nickname Harden "Master Deng", drawing a parallel to the great ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.
Confucius was renowned for having numerous accomplished disciples all over the land. Meanwhile, the fact that Confucius traveled across various states during the Warring States period also coincides with Harden's experience of playing for multiple professional teams.
Due to linguistic differences, there is no precise English equivalent for the nickname "Master Deng". Putting this title side by side with Confucius creates an amusing contrast.The term "Mamba disciples" has long been popular across Chinese online communities, referring to players who look up to Kobe Bryant as their idol. Recently, the phrase "Disciples of Master Deng" has also emerged. Players who have teamed up with Harden such as Clint Capela, Ivica Zubac and Tyrese Maxey are regarded as his disciples.