Harden, James (1989-…), is a star guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his NBA career, Harden has frequently ranked among the league’s leaders in points, assists, and steals. Harden stands 6 feet 5 inches (196 centimeters) tall.
Harden is a skilled all-around player. In 2016-2017, he became the first player in NBA history with at least 2,000 points, 900 assists, and 600 rebounds during a regular season. Harden was a member of the United States team that won the gold medal in men’s basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He was also a member of the United States team that won the Basketball World Cup in 2014.
James Edward Harden, Jr., was born on Aug. 26, 1989, in Bellflower, California, a small city just southeast of Los Angeles. He played at Arizona State University for two years, from 2007 to 2009. After his second year, he left college to join the NBA. In the 2009 NBA draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Harden as the third player in the first round. He played for Oklahoma City until 2012, when the Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets. The Brooklyn Nets acquired Harden in a trade early in the 2020-2021 season. The Nets traded Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022. The 76ers traded Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers early in the 2023-2024 season.
Harden led the NBA in scoring for the 2017-2018 season with an average of 30.4 points a game and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He led the league in scoring again the following two seasons, averaging 36.1 and 34.3 points per game. He was also the NBA league leader in assists per game for the 2016-2017 and 2022-2023 seasons.
