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Brendan Haywood believes championships carry more weight than MVP awards when separating the greatest players in NBA history.

While individual honors can establish a player among the league’s elite, Haywood argued that postseason success becomes particularly important when comparing stars with similarly impressive careers.

“When you compare guys that win mvps, to other guys in that range who have championships, that’s how you differentiate who’s where in the HOF. That’s why we don’t talk about James Harden the same way you talk about Kobe or D Wade. He don’t got the hardware they got.”

Haywood pointed to James Harden and Dwyane Wade as an example. Harden won an MVP and has been one of the NBA’s top scorers, but he has never won a championship.

Wade won three NBA titles and was also known for his defensive ability.

Haywood believes that championship difference is a major reason Harden is not discussed historically in the same way as Wade or Kobe Bryant.