Tracy McGrady vs Allen Iverson

Lore & Background

Harden was born on August 26, 1989, in Compton, California. He played college basketball for Arizona State, where he was a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009. He was selected third overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. After winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2012 and reaching the NBA Finals, he was traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2012–13 season. He led the league in scoring three times and assists once with Houston, won the NBA MVP, and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He later played for the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Reader's Guide

Harden is known for his scoring, playmaking, and signature beard. He has been named to 11 NBA All-Star Games and earned All-NBA First Team honors six times. He led the league in assists twice (once with Houston, once with Philadelphia). He won gold medals with the US national team in 2012 and 2014.

Did You Know?

• Harden is nicknamed 'the Beard' after his characteristic facial hair.
• He scored 37 points with 12 assists in his Rockets debut, a first in NBA history.
• He was a McDonald's All-American in high school and led Artesia High School to two state titles.
• Harden's career-high 40 points in college came against UTEP on November 30, 2008.