CHICAGO - James Harden travels so much he should secure a passport for his adidas kicks.
He could also do a couple of other things, such as, change his nickname from "The Beard" to "The Bearded Traveler" or star in the movie reboot of the Arnold Schwarzenneger hit flick The Running Man.
in 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong took "one giant leap for mankind."
In the past NBA seasons, meanwhile, Harden has taken a few extra steps towards notoriety.
"While NBA players turned getting away with traveling into an art form over the years, a few have done it with the sheer frequency and efficiency of James Harden," wrote Christopher Powers of The Loop.
In a February 2018 story on ESPN, Chris Haynes authored a piece reporting that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr "will not face discipline for inadvertently sending out a tweet critical of the league for allowing players such as James Harden to get away with traveling."
This isn't a shade on the Rocket man. Just facts shared by credible observers.
Harden's travels come in various forms. Some are cool as a moonwalk while others are simply blatant Eurosteps. But the five-step, double step-back jumper he pulled in a December 2018 game against the Utah Jazz earns him a spot in the Walk of Shame.
In fairness to the 2018 league MVP, he isn't the only culprit in what seems to be a traveling epidemic in the NBA. He is a superstar, a status that comes with a spotlight and a microscope.
Look, if Jarrell Brantley were a serial traveler, who cares, right?
On September 20, the NBA Board of Governors approved a new language in the rule book that governs traveling violations. Interestingly, the league's official press release on NBA.com carried a picture of Harden.
The revision was made only to specifically clarify the definition of the "gather" without changing the substance of the rule, which is two allowable steps after a dribble is picked up.
The concept appears simple: trudge two steps after picking up a dribble and it's a violation. However, referees frequently miss calls owing to the speed of the game plus the quickness and size of the players.
Back in the 80s and 90s, only a giraffe can reach the rim from the 3-point line with only two steps after ending a dribble. Now, there are dudes like Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has a pair of 45-inch legs, who do it routinely.
And when Russell Westbrook or Kyrie Irving go coast-to-coast in 94 feet of dizzying blur it's not always easy to see in real time whether or not they took just two or more steps after "gathering" the ball.
An enforcement plan, the NBA said, will be instituted to make "traveling a point of emphasis for our coaching staff."
In other words, when the 2019-20 season commences, the men in zebra stripes will now keep a closer look on Harden's stealth moves or the possible extra steps that Curry might take.
When I'm watching NBA games on TV, I sometimes think I'm watching the Travel Channel. But I've kind of gotten used to the extra steps NBA players have taken across the seasons. I thought it sped up the game, eased the flow, and spiked the scoring.
But rules are rules,
If "no means no" in this #MeToo era, then two should be just two steps in the NBA. Nothing more.
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