James Harden calls himself best basketball player alive; Where would you rank him?

Another NBA player has called himself the best in the league. So who is it this time? Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

Harden is the third notable player to make such a statement. Recently Steph Curry said he was a better offensive player than LeBron James. Prior to last season, Derrick Rose said he was the best player in the NBA. (The title of "best player in the NBA" usually goes to LeBron James.)

He made his comments about being the best in an interview with ESPN's Scoop Jackson. Here's an excerpt:

Scoop Jackson: Bottom line, you are on this team and a lot of players aren't, but in your mind, who is the best basketball player alive right now?

James Harden: Myself.

Scoop: That's what I was about to say, "including you." You made that sound like it was an easy answer.

Harden: It is. Myself.

Despite these comments, the Houston Rockets star admits there are areas of his game in which he needs to improve.

Scoop: Then here's the question: Are you where you want to be basketball-wise, even if you are the best?

Harden: Nowhere near close. I've got a long way to go, a lot of learning to do, improvements to make. Um, you know, as long as I'm listening and focused on the right things, I can reach my potential.

Scoop: So in your mind, you haven't reached [your potential] yet?

Harden: Not even close.

These comments are not totally alarming. Most coaches want their players to be confident in their abilities and to believe they can be the best at what they do. Also, Harden is one of the league's stars.

However, Harden's comments may be more controversial than Rose's or Curry's comments. When Rose made his comments he had already won and MVP and led his team to an Eastern Conference finals. As for Curry, there are offensive categories - assists, three point percentage and free throw percentage - in which he was better than LeBron James last season. Curry also has better handles than James and is considered the best shooter in the NBA.

In Harden's case, he has been recently been widely criticized for his play. He is known for playing little to no defense, letting defenders go by and being lazy. Also, there are some who believe he doesn't show up in big spots during the postseason.

Nevertheless, Harden is a star in the NBA and one of the best scorers in the league (25.1 ppg in 2013-2014 regular season).

So where would you rank him? Let me know in the comment section below.