The Texans returned to NRG Stadium this week to commence their offseason workout program, and Tuesday saw several players answer questions from the assembled media.
J.J. Watt was first at the podium, and weighed in on the fortunes of the city’s other high-profile sports teams. Donning a Houston Rockets cap, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year endorsed James Harden’s bid for his own individual honor, praising both Harden and the Rockets’ remarkable regular season:
“They’ve had an incredible season. Harden is obviously the MVP. Been a lot of fun to watch… I hope they go all the way.”
The Rockets accrued 65 wins (a franchise high) on their way to the Number One seed in the Western Conference and the best record in the NBA. The team kicked off their playoff campaign with a gutsy win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, driven by another exceptional game from Harden.
Much-maligned by parts of the national media for his somewhat controversial style, Harden has enjoyed a prolific season and is the favorite for what Houstonians will argue is an overdue NBA MVP Award. The playmaking guard has twice finished second in MVP Voting, behind Steph Curry in 2015 and Russell Westbrook last year.
Should the Rockets manage to win their third NBA Finals come June, it would mean that both the NBA and MLB champions are Houston based, and Watt admits the players are fully aware of their city-mates exploits, and that the Texans need to replicate their success.
“We don’t live in a cocoon,” Watt acknowledged. “We know the Astros won the World Series. We know the Rockets are in the playoffs. Texas is a football state, and we need to hold up our end of the bargain.”
