James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Many people think he is one of the best shooting guards ever in the NBA.

In 2021, James Harden was chosen for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. This team honored the top 75 players in the league's history. He has also won two gold medals with the U.S. national team. These wins were at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2014 FIBA World Cup. James Harden is often called "The Beard" because of his famous facial hair.

Harden played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils. In 2009, he was named an All-American and the Pac-10 Player of the Year. The Oklahoma City Thunder picked him third overall in the 2009 NBA draft. In 2012, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. He helped the Thunder reach the 2012 NBA Finals, but they lost to the Miami Heat.

After not agreeing on a new contract, Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2012–13 season. With the Rockets, he became a superstar. He led the league in scoring three times and assists once. In 2018, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. He also made the NBA All-Star team many times. In 2021, he joined the Brooklyn Nets and later the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2023, he led the league in assists again. He was traded to the Clippers at the start of the 2023–24 season. In 2025, he was selected for his 11th All-Star Game.

High School Basketball Star

James Harden went to Artesia High School in Lakewood, California. In his second year, he scored about 13.2 points per game. His team had a great record of 28 wins and 5 losses.

In his third year, he improved a lot. He averaged 18.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. He led Artesia to win the California state championship. His team's record was an amazing 33 wins and 1 loss.

Artesia won the state championship again in Harden's final year. They had a record of 33 wins and 2 losses. Harden's stats were similar, with 18.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He was chosen as a McDonald's All-American player. He also received second-team Parade All-American honors.

He also played for his AAU team, Pump-N-Run Elite. They won the 2006 Las Vegas Adidas Super 64 championship. Harden scored 34 points in the final game.

College Career at Arizona State

When James Harden started his first year at Arizona State, his team was expected to finish ninth in their conference. But with Harden leading the way, they did much better. He averaged 17.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

The Sun Devils finished tied for fifth in the conference. They had a record of 21 wins and 13 losses. They were considered for the NCAA tournament. Even though they didn't make it, they played in the NIT.

After his first year, Harden was named first-team All-Pac-10. He was also on the conference all-freshman team. Before his second year, he was on many lists of top players. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

On November 30, 2008, Harden scored a career-high 40 points. This helped his team win 88–58 against UTEP. He finished his second year averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He was named the Pacific-10 Conference's Player of the Year. He was also chosen as an All-American. After his second season, Harden decided to enter the 2009 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Oklahoma City Thunder (2009–2012)

Harden with the Thunder in 2010

The Oklahoma City Thunder picked James Harden third overall in the 2009 NBA draft. In his first season, he showed he was a good three-point shooter. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

During the 2010–11 season, he scored 10 or more points in 54 games. His season high was 26 points. In the 2011–12 season, which was shorter due to a lockout, Harden averaged 16.8 points. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award award. This award goes to the best player who usually comes off the bench.

Harden scored a season-high 40 points in April 2012. He was the first player in a reserve role to score 40 points in a game since 2010. He helped the Thunder reach the 2012 NBA Finals. However, they lost to the Miami Heat in five games. Before the next season, the Thunder tried to sign Harden to a new contract. But they couldn't agree, and Harden was traded.

Houston Rockets (2012–2021)

Harden with the Rockets in 2012

On October 27, 2012, James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets' general manager, Daryl Morey, called Harden a "foundational" player. This meant they expected him to be their main star. On October 31, 2012, Harden signed a five-year contract with the Rockets.

In his very first game with the Rockets, he scored 37 points and had 12 assists. This was a record for a player's debut with a new team. Two days later, he scored 45 points. His 82 points in his first two games were the most ever for a player starting with a new team. On February 2, 2013, he got his first triple-double (scoring double digits in three different stats). He was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time. On February 20, 2013, Harden scored a career-high 46 points against his old team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Harden had an amazing first season with Houston. He became one of only a few players in team history to score over 2,000 points in a season. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team. This was his first time getting All-NBA honors.

Becoming an All-Star Leader

Harden was chosen for his second straight All-Star Game in 2014. He was even named a starter for the game. On December 26, 2013, he made 22 free throws in a game. This tied a Rockets team record. On February 25, 2014, he scored a season-high 43 points. At the end of the season, he was named to the All-NBA First Team.

In April 2015, Harden had two games where he scored over 50 points. This was a first for the Rockets. He helped the Rockets win their first division title since 1994. They also got the second best record in the Western Conference. Harden was again named to the All-NBA First Team. He finished second in the voting for the NBA MVP award.

In the 2015 playoffs, Harden got his first playoff triple-double. He had 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Harden scored a playoff career-high 45 points.

Leading the League in Assists

Harden shoots over John Wall in 2016

On July 9, 2016, Harden signed a big contract extension with the Rockets. In September 2016, the new Rockets coach, Mike D'Antoni, said Harden would play as the team's main point guard. In the first game of the season, Harden had 34 points and a career-high 17 assists.

On December 14, he got his 14th career triple-double. This tied the Rockets' record held by Hakeem Olajuwon. Two days later, he broke the record with his 15th triple-double. On December 31, 2016, Harden had an amazing game. He recorded a triple-double with 53 points, 17 assists, and 16 rebounds. He was the first player in NBA history to have a 50-15-15 stat line. He tied Wilt Chamberlain for the most points in a triple-double.

Harden with the ball in a game against the Orlando Magic in 2017

On January 27, 2017, he got his 14th triple-double of the season. He had 51 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists. This made him the first player in NBA history with multiple 50-point triple-doubles in one season. On February 3, he scored his 10,000th point as a Rocket. He finished the regular season with 22 triple-doubles. He also led the league in assists, averaging 11.2 assists per game. He finished second in the MVP voting that year.

MVP Season and Scoring Champion

On July 8, 2017, Harden signed another huge contract extension. On November 5, he scored a career-high 56 points. He became the first player in team history to score at least 20 points in the first 20 games of a season. On December 20, Harden scored 51 points, but the Rockets lost. Two days later, he scored 51 points again. This made him the first player in Rockets history to have two straight 50-point games.

On January 30, 2018, Harden made history. He scored 60 points as part of a triple-double. He also had 10 rebounds and 11 assists. This was the first time any NBA player had a 60-point triple-double. He broke the Rockets' single-game scoring record. The Rockets finished the season with their best record ever, 65 wins and 17 losses. Harden won his first scoring title, averaging 30.4 points per game.

In June 2018, James Harden was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. He was the third player in Rockets history to win this award.

Career High in Scoring

The Rockets started the 2018–19 season slowly. But Harden helped them turn things around. On January 11, he had 43 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. He also made eight 3-pointers, setting an NBA record for consecutive games with at least five 3-pointers.

On January 23, Harden scored a career-high 61 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. This was his 21st game in a row with at least 30 points. On February 21, he scored 30 points again, extending his streak to 32 games. This was the second-longest streak in NBA history. On March 19, he scored 31 points. This made him the first player in NBA history to score 30 or more points against all 29 other teams in one season.

On March 31, Harden had 50 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. This was his ninth 50-point game of the season. It was also his fifth career 50-point triple-double, which is the most in NBA history. He also made his 2,000th career 3-pointer. He finished the season with the largest scoring difference over the second-leading scorer since 1963.

In the 2019 playoffs, Harden had his third career playoff triple-double. He led the Rockets to a 2–0 series lead. He was again chosen for the All-NBA First Team. He was also a finalist for the MVP award.

Third Scoring Title and Trade Request

Former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook joined Houston in 2019–20.

On October 30, 2019, Harden scored 59 points and had nine assists. This was just two points shy of his career high. On November 30, 2019, he scored 60 points in just 31 minutes. This was his fourth career 60-point game. He joined Klay Thompson and Kobe Bryant as the only players to score 60 points in just three quarters.

On December 11, 2019, Harden scored 55 points. Two days later, he scored 54 points. This was his third time scoring 50 points in back-to-back games. He also became the second player in NBA history to make 10 or more 3-pointers in consecutive games. He finished the 2010s decade as the NBA's leading scorer.

In 2020, Harden became the second highest scorer in Rockets history. He won his third straight scoring title. He was also a finalist for the MVP award again. After the 2020 season, the Rockets' general manager and coach left. Harden asked to be traded in November 2020.

Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)

Harden on the Nets wearing their "city edition" jersey

On January 14, 2021, James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He joined former teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to form a powerful team. In his first game with the Nets, he had 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists. This was a triple-double and a record for a player's debut with the Nets.

On February 19, Harden became the first Nets player to have a double-double in eleven games in a row. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star for the ninth time. On March 1, Harden had his seventh triple-double as a Net. He had 30 points, 15 assists, and 14 rebounds with no turnovers. This was a first in league history. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February and March.

On March 17, Harden scored 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists. This was a 40-point triple-double. He became the fourth player in NBA history with 100 games scoring 40 points or more. He also became second all-time in 40-point triple-doubles. After missing games due to a hamstring injury, Harden returned in May 2021.

In the 2021 playoffs, Harden had a triple-double in Game 5 of the first round. However, he re-injured his hamstring in the next series against the Milwaukee Bucks. He missed several games. The Nets lost the series in seven games. In the 2021–22 season, Harden continued to play well. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star for the tenth time in February 2022.

Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)

On February 10, 2022, James Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He changed his jersey number from 13 to 1. In his first game with the Sixers, he scored 27 points and had 12 assists. In his second game, he got his 68th career triple-double. He was the first player in NBA history to have 25 points and 10 assists in his first two games with a new team. On March 10, Harden passed Reggie Miller for third place in all-time NBA three-pointers made.

In the 2022 playoffs, Harden helped the Sixers advance to the second round. He had 22 points and 14 assists in Game 1 of the first round. In Game 4 of the second round, he scored 31 points, with 16 of them in the fourth quarter. This helped the Sixers tie the series. However, they lost the series in Game 6.

On July 27, 2022, Harden re-signed with the 76ers. On December 9, he joined LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with 23,000 career points and 6,500 career assists. On December 23, Harden had a triple-double with 20 points, 21 assists, and 11 rebounds. His 21 assists tied the Sixers' record for most assists in a game.

On April 9, 2023, Harden finished the regular season as the league leader in assists. He averaged 10.7 assists per game. He and Joel Embiid became the first teammates to lead the NBA in scoring and assists in a season since 1982.

In the 2023 playoffs, Harden tied his playoff career high with 45 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He made a game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds. In Game 4, he scored 42 points and made another game-winning three-pointer in overtime. He joined a small group of guards with at least 10 40-point playoff games. The 76ers eventually lost the series in seven games. After the season, Harden asked for a trade from the 76ers.

Los Angeles Clippers (2023–Present)

On November 1, 2023, James Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. This trade reunited him with his former teammate Russell Westbrook. Harden made his Clippers debut on November 6. On November 17, he scored 24 points and made a game-winning three-pointer against his old team, the Houston Rockets.

On December 14, Harden scored 28 points and had 15 assists. He also reached 25,000 career points, becoming the 24th player in NBA history to do so. On December 18, he scored a season-high 35 points, with 21 of them in the fourth quarter.

On January 26, 2024, Harden recorded his 75th career triple-double. On March 17, Harden passed Vince Carter for 20th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. On April 4, he became the fourth player in NBA history to have at least 25,000 career points, 7,000 career assists, and 6,000 career rebounds. He joined LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, and Russell Westbrook in this elite group.

On July 10, 2024, Harden re-signed with the Clippers. On November 2, 2024, he recorded his 78th career triple-double, tying Wilt Chamberlain for seventh in NBA history. He also reached 26,000 career points. On November 15, Harden tied Ray Allen for second place in all-time NBA three-pointers made. Two days later, he broke the tie to take sole possession of second place.

On November 27, Harden scored 43 points. This was his 100th career 40-point game. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant as the only players with at least 100 40-point games. On December 1, Harden made his 3,000th career three-pointer, joining Stephen Curry as the only players to reach this milestone.

On January 30, 2025, Harden was named an All-Star for the eleventh time. On February 20, he reached 27,000 career points, becoming the 13th player in NBA history to do so. On March 5, Harden scored 50 points for the first time since 2019. On April 11, he recorded his 80th career triple-double. On April 13, in the final regular-season game, Harden scored 39 points and helped the Clippers win in overtime.

Player Skills

Harden dunking during a 2012 Team USA exhibition game against the Dominican Republic national team

James Harden is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He mainly plays as a shooting guard, but he can also play point guard. He is the highest-scoring left-handed player in NBA history. Harden is known as one of the most skilled and dangerous scorers in the NBA. He has many ways to score, including his famous Euro step and step-back jumper.

Since joining the Houston Rockets in 2012, he has scored the most points in the NBA. He is also the all-time NBA leader in three-pointers made without an assist. Harden is very good at drawing fouls to get to the free throw line. He led the NBA in free throw attempts and makes for many years. He is also known for his great passing skills, helping his teammates score. He is the all-time leader in assists for the Rockets.

While Harden is famous for his offense, he has also worked hard on his defense. In 2014, he focused on improving his defensive play. This helped the Rockets have a successful season. He has also set records for turnovers in a season, which means he sometimes loses the ball.

Playing for Team USA

Harden with Team USA at the 2014 World Basketball Festival

James Harden has been a member of the U.S. national team. He won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. He also won a gold medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014 in Spain. Harden was considered for the 2016 Olympics team but decided not to play.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2009–10	Oklahoma City	76	0	22.9	.403	.375	.808	3.2	1.8	1.1	.3	9.9
2010–11	Oklahoma City	82	5	26.7	.436	.349	.843	3.1	2.1	1.1	.3	12.2
2011–12	Oklahoma City	62	2	31.4	.491	.390	.846	4.1	3.7	1.0	.2	16.8
2012–13	Houston	78	78	38.3	.438	.368	.851	4.9	5.8	1.8	.5	25.9
2013–14	Houston	73	73	38.0	.456	.366	.866	4.7	6.1	1.6	.4	25.4
2014–15	Houston	81	81	36.8	.440	.375	.868	5.7	7.0	1.9	.7	27.4
2015–16	Houston	82*	82*	38.1*	.439	.359	.860	6.1	7.5	1.7	.6	29.0
2016–17	Houston	81	81	36.4	.440	.347	.847	8.1	11.2*	1.5	.5	29.1
2017–18	Houston	72	72	35.4	.449	.367	.858	5.4	8.8	1.8	.7	30.4*
2018–19	Houston	78	78	36.8	.442	.368	.879	6.6	7.5	2.0	.7	36.1*
2019–20	Houston	68	68	36.5	.444	.355	.865	6.6	7.5	1.8	.9	34.3*
2020–21	Houston	8	8	36.3	.444	.347	.883	5.1	10.4	.9	.8	24.8
2020–21	Brooklyn	36	35	36.6	.471	.366	.856	8.5	10.9	1.3	.8	24.6
2021–22	Brooklyn	44	44	37.0	.414	.332	.869	8.0	10.2	1.3	.7	22.5
2021–22	Philadelphia	21	21	37.7	.402	.326	.892	7.1	10.5	1.2	.2	21.0
2022–23	Philadelphia	58	58	36.8	.441	.385	.867	6.1	10.7*	1.2	.5	21.0
2023–24	L.A. Clippers	72	72	34.3	.428	.381	.878	5.1	8.5	1.1	.8	16.6
2024–25	L.A. Clippers	79	79	35.3	.410	.352	.874	5.8	8.7	1.5	.7	22.8
Career		1,151	937	34.8	.439	.363	.861	5.6	7.2	1.5	.6	24.1
All-Star		10	6	24.7	.453	.418	.500	4.5	5.8	.7	.3	14.9

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2010	Oklahoma City	6	0	20.0	.387	.375	.842	2.5	1.8	1.0	.2	7.7
2011	Oklahoma City	17	0	31.6	.475	.303	.825	5.4	3.6	1.2	.8	13.0
2012	Oklahoma City	20	0	31.5	.435	.410	.857	5.1	3.4	1.6	.1	16.3
2013	Houston	6	6	40.5	.391	.341	.803	6.7	4.5	2.0	1.0	26.3
2014	Houston	6	6	43.9	.376	.296	.900	4.7	5.8	2.0	.2	26.8
2015	Houston	17	17	37.4	.439	.383	.916	5.7	7.5	1.6	.4	27.2
2016	Houston	5	5	38.6	.410	.310	.844	5.2	7.6	2.4	.2	26.6
2017	Houston	11	11	37.0	.413	.278	.878	5.5	8.5	1.9	.5	28.5
2018	Houston	17	17	36.5	.410	.299	.887	5.2	6.8	2.2	.6	28.6
2019	Houston	11	11	38.6	.413	.350	.837	6.9	6.6	2.2	.9	31.6
2020	Houston	12	12	37.3	.478	.333	.845	5.6	7.7	1.5	.8	29.6
2021	Brooklyn	9	9	35.7	.472	.364	.903	6.3	8.6	1.7	.7	20.2
2022	Philadelphia	12	12	39.9	.405	.368	.893	5.7	8.6	.8	.7	18.6
2023	Philadelphia	11	11	38.8	.393	.378	.873	6.2	8.3	1.8	.4	20.3
2024	L.A. Clippers	6	6	40.3	.449	.383	.906	4.5	8.0	1.0	1.0	21.2
2025	L.A. Clippers	7	7	39.4	.436	.364	.818	5.4	9.1	1.3	1.0	18.7
Career		173	130	36.2	.425	.340	.869	5.5	6.5	1.6	.6	22.5

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2007–08	Arizona State	34	33	34.1	.527	.407	.754	5.3	3.2	2.1	.6	17.8
2008–09	Arizona State	35	35	35.8	.489	.356	.756	5.6	4.2	1.7	.3	20.1
Career		69	68	35.0	.506	.376	.755	5.4	3.7	1.9	.4	19.0

Personal Life and Interests

James Harden was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the youngest of three children. Harden is a Christian and often talks about his faith. He started growing his famous beard in 2009 because he was too lazy to shave. His beard has become very well-known. It has appeared in songs and on T-shirts. He even has a unique candy with Trolli's that shows his face and beard.

On August 3, 2015, the sports company Adidas signed Harden to a huge endorsement deal. On July 18, 2019, Harden became a part-owner of Houston's professional soccer teams. These teams are the Houston Dynamo (men's team) and the Houston Dash (women's team). Harden said he wanted to invest in Houston because it had become his home.

Public Statements

On October 4, 2019, the Houston Rockets' general manager, Daryl Morey, posted a tweet. This tweet supported the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. Because of this, the Chinese Basketball Association stopped its relationship with the Houston Rockets. James Harden later apologized, saying, "We apologize. We love China."

On July 17, 2020, Harden wore a mask that caused some discussion. Some people linked the mask to certain groups. A rapper named Young Thug defended Harden, saying he might not have known about the controversy. This event became a popular joke online.

James Harden facts for kids

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