James Harden

James Harden: The Beard's journey from Compton to NBA stardom.

via Wikipedia: James Harden · see source

James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest shooting guards and scorers in NBA history. In 2021, Harden was honored as one of the league's top 75 players by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Harden is also a two-time member of the United States national team, winning gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup. Harden is nicknamed "the Beard" after his characteristic facial hair.

Quick Facts

Position: Point guard; shooting guard
Team: Free agent
Born: 26 August 1989
Birthplace: Compton, California, U.S.
High school: Artesia (Lakewood, California)
College: Arizona State (2007–2009)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 3

Lore & Background

Harden played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he was named a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009. Harden was selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2012, he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year and helped Oklahoma City reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat in five games. After the Thunder refused to offer him a max contract extension, Harden was unwilling to take a pay cut and was subsequently traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2012–13 season.

In his first season with the Rockets, Harden set or matched several team records and was named to his first All-NBA Team (a third-team selection), as well as his first NBA All-Star team. Over the next seven full seasons with Houston, Harden led the league in scoring three times and assists once, and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in [year not specified in source] while leading the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals. He was also named to seven consecutive NBA All-Star teams and earned All-NBA First Team honors six times.

After requesting a trade at the beginning of the 2020–21 season, Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team trade. With Brooklyn, he was named to his ninth and tenth consecutive All-Star games before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2022 trade deadline. In 2023, Harden led the league in assists for the second time in his career. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers at the start of the 2023–24 season and was named to his 11th All-Star Game in 2025. In 2026, after two-and-half seasons with LA, he was traded to Cleveland at the trade deadline.

Reader's Guide

Harden is known for his prolific scoring, playmaking, and signature step-back jumper. He has been named to multiple All-NBA and All-Star teams, and his tenure with the Houston Rockets included three scoring titles and one assists title. His career has included stops with the Thunder, Rockets, Nets, 76ers, Clippers, and most recently the Cavaliers.

Did You Know?

Harden was named a McDonald's All-American and second-team Parade All-American in high school.
He scored a career-high 40 points in a college game against UTEP on November 30, 2008.
Harden recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career on February 2, 2013, against the Charlotte Bobcats.
He was traded to the Houston Rockets on October 27, 2012, along with three other players, in exchange for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and draft picks.