1989-present
James Harden News: Los Angeles Clippers Acquire James Harden in Trade
James Harden, the third-highest leading scorer among active NBA players, is on the move again to a new team. ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported early on October 31 that the Philadelphia 76ers agreed to trade the disgruntled superstar to the Los Angeles Clippers in a blockbuster deal. The deal was finalized November 1, the same day 34-year-old Harden posted a photo of himself and new teammates Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on Instagram. He captioned the post simply: with a fire emoji.
Harden exercised his player option with Philadelphia worth $35.6 million in June, but the 34-year-old became vocally critical of the 76ers front office. He requested a trade and later missed media day and the opening day of training camp. The former MVP didn’t appear in any of Philadelphia’s first three games this season, which began October 26.
Who Is James Harden?
Basketball star James Harden, who plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, is known as much for his prominent beard as he is for his stellar play on the court. The No. 3 pick in the 2009 NBA draft, he began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder before a stunning trade to the Houston Rockets in 2012. Harden has since emerged as a perennial MVP candidate and one of the top scorers in NBA history, ranking 25th all-time as of November 2023. Among his most notable accomplishments are a record-setting 60-point triple-double in a January 2018 game, as well as 23 career 50-point games—fourth most in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: James Edward Harden Jr.
BORN: August 26, 1989
BIRTHPLACE: Los Angeles, California
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Virgo
Early Years
James Edward Harden Jr. was born on August 26, 1989, in Los Angeles. James Sr., a former Navy seaman, was mostly absent from his life, leading to Harden and his two siblings to be raised by their mom, Monja Willis, in the city’s Compton neighborhood.
By the time James first tried out for the boys’ basketball team at Artesia High School in nearby Lakewood, he stood a relatively modest 6 feet, 1 inch, and was hampered by bouts of asthma. However, he immediately impressed his coaches with his game instincts, and after sprouting a few inches, he became one of the top players in the nation. Harden led Artesia to back-to-back state championships and was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2007.
College Career at Arizona State
One of the most decorated recruits in Arizona State basketball history, Harden immediately helped turn around a program that sunk to an 8-22 record in 2006-07. The Sun Devils improved to 21 wins during Harden’s freshman season and surged to 25 wins and a berth in the NCAA Tournament by his third and final year. Named the Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and an All-American, he wrapped up his collegiate career ranked third all-time in ASU’s record book with an average of 19.0 points per game. Later, Arizona State retired his No. 13 jersey.
NBA Teams
Harden has been in the NBA since the 2009-10 season and currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. His past teams include the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, Harden got his pro career off to a strong start by earning All-Rookie Second Team honors.
By 2011-12, he was an integral part of a team that also featured superstar scorers Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Harden was named the winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, and the Thunder rolled through the playoffs before suffering a tough five-game loss to LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
Capping his breakout season, Harden was a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team at the 2012 London Olympics.
Houston Rockets
In late October 2012, shortly before the start of the NBA season, the Thunder sent ripples through the league with the announcement that they were trading Harden to the Houston Rockets, reportedly over the inability of the two sides to come to terms on a contract.
In return, the Thunder received guard Kevin Martin, recent draft pick Jeremy Lamb, and multiple future draft picks, but the lack of an impact player to match the production of Harden resulted in the trade being viewed as heavily lopsided in favor of Houston.
After joining the Rockets prior to the 2012-13 season, Harden emerged as one of the top players in the NBA. He earned the first of six straight All-Star berths that year and finished second in the voting for Most Valuable Player in 2015 and 2017 before finally claiming the trophy in 2018.
For all his individual brilliance, Harden was unable to push the Rockets past the pack of postseason contenders in his first few years with the team. Houston did reach the Western Conference Finals in 2015 but was bounced in the first round of the playoffs in 2016. The following year, another promising season halted in the playoffs’ second round.
With Chris Paul bringing his veteran leadership to the team, and key role players like Eric Gordon fitting nicely alongside Harden in his prime, the Rockets won an NBA-best 65 games in 2017-18, before suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. The following year, Harden lifted Houston out of an early hole with his unstoppable scoring ability, but the season again ended at the hands of the Warriors in the playoffs.
Harden won his third-straight scoring title with Houston in the 2019-20 season, which was suspended on March 11, 2020, at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and resumed later that summer in a contained “bubble” at the Walt Disney World resort in Florida. But after the Rockets fell to the Lakers in the second round, head coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey left the team, and Harden eventually demanded a trade.
Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers
On January 24, 2021, Harden got his wish and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, where he joined fellow superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Harden averaged almost 25 points in 36 games with his new team, leading Brooklyn to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The next season, Harden was an All-Star for the 10th consecutive year but was again the subject of trade rumors. In February 2022, Brooklyn traded the superstar to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a package including draft picks as well as young point guard Ben Simmons. The Sixers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs with Harden for two years in a row.
Trade to the Los Angeles Clippers
In June 2023, Harden exercised his player option with Philadelphia worth $35.6 million. However, he became vocal in his criticism of the team’s front office, calling Daryl Morey—now the Sixers’ president of basketball operations—a liar and requesting a trade. Harden missed media day and the opening day of training camp, then didn’t suit up in Philadelphia’s first three games in late October.
In the early morning of October 31, ESPN reported that Philadelphia agreed to trade Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers for a package that included four players and multiple draft selections. The deal was finalized the next day.
“James is one of the most prolific and efficient playmakers in the NBA,” Clippers’ President of Basketball Operations Lawerence Frank said in a statement. “With his size and vision, he possesses an extraordinary ability to create for himself and others.
Stats
Thanks to his superb all-around skills, Harden has stuffed the stat sheet with some record-breaking performances:
- From December 13, 2018, through February 21, 2019, Harden scored at least 30 points in 32 consecutive games, second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 65 consecutive games.
- On January 30, 2018, he became the first player in NBA history to score 60 points while recording a triple-double (at least 10 points, rebounds, and assists). Additionally, that point total broke the previous Houston Rockets franchise record of 57 points, set by Calvin Murphy in 1978.
- During the 2016-17 season, he became the first NBA player to record two 50-point triple-double games (later surpassed by Russell Westbrook).
- Harden finished 2016-17 as the first player to accumulate at least 2,000 points (2,356), 900 assists (907), and 600 rebounds (659) in one season, also finishing the year with a record 474 turnovers.
- Harden, who has notched single-game highs of 17 rebounds, 17 assists, eight steals, and four blocks, led the NBA in free throws attempted and made from 2014-19, assists in 2016-17, and scoring from 2017-19.
Shoes
After his contract with Nike ran out, Harden signed a 13-year endorsement deal with Adidas in 2015. The arrangement led to the debut of the athlete’s signature shoe, the Harden Vol. 1, in November 2016.
Adidas debuted the Harden Vol. 2 during NBA All-Star Weekend in February 2018. The latest creation was designed with a wider base and durable traction pattern on the outsole, giving the player the ability to better change direction and pull off his patented “Eurostep” move.
How Tall Is James Harden?
Harden stands 6 feet, 5 inches tall.
That makes him is the ideal size for a shooting guard, his normal position. However, he is also known for his dribbling and passing abilities, attributes best suited for the point guard position. Harden actually was moved to point guard during the 2016-17 season, though he shifted back to his usual position when point guard Chris Paul joined the Houston Rockets before the 2017-18 season.
Since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, Harden has been classified primarily as a point guard by Basketball Reference, though both positions are listed in his biography.
"Stirring the Pot" Celebration
In 2015, Harden began making his trademark “stirring the pot” gesture—one hand cupped like a bowl, the other twirling inside it—after making a big shot. Attentive viewers traced the move to a video for “Flicka Da Wrist” by Houston rapper Chedda Da Connect, though Harden claimed he just started doing it while playing around with friends.
Girlfriends and Personal Life
After beginning a relationship with Khloé Kardashian in the summer of 2015, Harden found himself at the center of the ever-swirling media circus surrounding the reality-TV Kardashian clan. The situation didn’t sit well with the soft-spoken basketball star, who was said to be relieved after their romance fizzled early the following year.
Harden was previously linked to rapper Trina and singer Ashanti. He has also reportedly been involved with Instagram models Jessyka Janshel and Arab Money.
Among his philanthropic efforts, Harden has formed 3 The Harden Way Inc. to provide higher learning opportunities for youth. In 2017, he pledged $1 million to support victims of Hurricane Harvey.
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