James Harden: 'I know at times my defense is pretty bad'

Media Day is when the hype of offseason workouts, diets and overall improvement reaches its pinnacle before the games begin, and most of it is revealed as nothing more than just that - hype.

It's also a day for players to pledge their commitment to righting some of the wrongs in their game, which are often found on the defensive end.

Enter James Harden: one of the best offensive talents in the game, but also responsible for some of the most egregious defensive blunders in recent memory.

It appears, though, the All Star is trying to make amends.

"Pretty bad" probably doesn't even explain it, but Harden, to his credit,  admitted improving his defense comes down to his focus level. The All-NBA shooting guard also said he believes he can be a good defender.

With Patrick Beverley sharing the Houston backcourt and Dwight Howard anchoring a defense that also features Trevor Ariza, Harden doesn't need to become a great - or even good - defender to make an impact. If he can merely put forth a consistent effort on the defensive end to compliment his fantastic offensive game, the Rockets will be better off.