James Harden

He has been named an NBA All-Star ten times straight from 2013 to 2022.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Harden was born James Edward Harden, Jr. on August 26, 1989. He is the youngest of three kids and he is a devout Christian. Harden is known for his trademark beard, which he started growing in 2009.

He is also a part-owner of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. He is endorsed by Adidas in a deal worth $200 Million.

Harden stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He is usually in the shooting guard position, but he also plays point guard.

He is a left-handed player and he holds the record for the highest all-time left-handed scorer in NBA History. He was named by ESPN as the Best Shooter in the NBA for the 2010s.

James Harden is known as one of the most dangerous scorers in the entire NBA.

High School and College Career

Harden attended Atresia High School in Lakewood, California. In his junior year, he helped lead his team to win the California state title. They won again during his senior year.

In 2007, he was named a McDonald’s All-American. He also was named to the Parade All-American second team.

He was recruited by Arizona State University to play for the Sun Devils. He was named to the All-Pac-10 after his freshman year. After his sophomore year, he was again named to the All-Pac-10 and he was also named the Pacific 10 Conference’s Player of the Year.

He declared for the NBA during the 2009 Draft and he chose Rob Pelinka to be his agent.

Professional Career

Harden was the third-overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2009 NBA Draft.

He played for Oklahoma from 2009 to 2012. In 2010, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In 2012, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, the team he would play for the most in his career. He achieved many of his career highlights while he was with Houston including being named the NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year in 2018.

Just as he joined Houston, he was also named the 2012 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. In 2013, he was named an NBA All-Star for the first time. In his career, he would be named an All-Star nine more times, straight through to 2022.

Also, while with Houston, Harden would be named to the All-NBA First Team six times in total. From 2018 to 2020, he was the NBA Scoring Champion and in 2017, he led the league in Assists. He would be the NBA Assists Leader again in 2023.

Harden was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

In 2021, Harden signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He only played with them for a season before he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2023, he again switched and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

As of the start of 2024, he still plays for the Clippers.

Career Highlights

• 2018 - NBA Most Valuable Player
• 2013–2022 - NBA All-Star
• 2014, 2015, 2017–2020 - All-NBA First Team
• 2013 - All-NBA Third Team
• 2012 - NBA Sixth Man of the Year
• 2018–2020 - NBA scoring champion
• 2017, 2023 - NBA assists leader
• 2010 - NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• 2009 - Consensus first-team All-American
• 2009 - Pac-10 Player of the Year
• 2008, 2009 - First-team All-Pac-10
• No. 13 jersey was retired by Arizona State Sun Devils
• 2007 - Second-team Parade All-American
• 2007 - McDonald’s All-American

Medal record, Men’s basketball, Representing the United States

• Gold - 2012 Olympic Games London
• Gold - 2014 World Cup Spain