Houston Sports - James Harden

James Harden

Born: August 26, 1989

Sport: Basketball (All-American, 3-time scoring champ, 11-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA, MVP, Olympic Gold Medalist)

It's been a few months since we took a look at a player that is still active, but a few factors played into my decision to look at James Harden.  First, it's the anniversary of a consistency mark that allowed him to pass the greatest of all time - on this date seven years ago, he passed Michael Jordan for second all-time in consecutive 30-point games.  Second, the city of Houston is currently experiencing a weather-related shutdown, and Harden had experience dealing with climate drama during his time in town.  And while I hope everyone out there is finding a way to stay warm and out of the frigid air, here is a brief spotlight on another significant Houston sports figure to help you pass the time until things return to normal.

Toyota Center, home to the Houston Rockets when James Harden arrived in 2012

Born and raised in Compton, California, James Harden was the youngest of three children and named for a father with whom he had very little relationship.  His mother, Monja Willis, raised him and made sure that young James was able to be involved in sports to try keeping him away from gang violence in their neighborhood.  It was baseball that was Harden's first passion, and he performed well as a left-handed pitcher before he had grown enough to handle shooting drills and other hardcourt fundamentals.  Eventually he developed a love for basketball, however, and it was the game that regularly got him up early for practice before school, even while he continued playing various other sports throughout the year.  Despite not being known for his quickness, Harden had a shooter's touch and developed a Eurostep skill that had recently become popular in the NBA.  His Artesia High School team won back-to-back state titles during Harden's final two seasons, with their leader earning recognition as a McDonald's All-American in 2007.  Despite being recruited by several successful teams, Harden chose to honor a promise to former high school coach Scott Pera that he would follow him to whatever college hired him.  When Pera landed a position at Arizona State University, Harden committed to a Sun Devils team projected to finish the season in next-to-last place. 

Despite low expectations for his team, James Harden performed well and was named to the Pac-10 all-conference team as well as the all-freshman squad.  Arizona State actually finished in the top half of the conference but was left out of the NCAA tournament and had to settle for an NIT appearance.  Close observers to the team may also have noticed a physical development for Harden, as he decided to stop shaving.  What began as a simple goatee started to take shape and would eventually become such a part of his brand that he'd later be known simply as "The Beard".  Heading into his sophomore season, Harden received plenty of attention as a possible award winner and even Sports Illustrated used him on the cover of their season preview (complete with a respectable amount of peach fuzz).  He did not disappoint, becoming a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year, and led his team to the second round of the NCAA tournament.  After the Sun Devils were eliminated, Harden announced he would enter the 2009 NBA Draft.  On June 25, 2009 the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the third overall pick. 

As a rookie in the NBA, James Harden was used primarily as a spot-up shooter off the bench.  Behind a stacked starting lineup he accepted and made the most of his role, and during his third year as a pro the Thunder advanced all the way to the NBA Finals.  Harden was included on the 2012 Olympic roster that summer, winning gold with Team USA in London.  Oklahoma City could not come to terms on an extension for Harden, however, so they traded him to the Houston Rockets immediately before the 2012 season began.  Houston's GM declared Harden to be a foundational player that was expected to be the franchise centerpiece as they announced a five-year extension on October 31, and that night in his first game he set an NBA record for points by a player with double-digit assists in a team debut.  He similarly showed up in his second game, scoring 45 points and passing Wilt Chamberlain for most points in a player's first two games on a team.  By February, Harden recorded his first career triple-double, and when he surpassed Moses Malone's team record for made free throws he became just the fourth player in league history to hit 600 free throws and 150 3-pointers in a season.  His statistical outburst was staggering, especially considering it was just his first year as a starter, and it earned him All-Star and All-NBA honors for the first time in his career.  Harden continued his impressive play over the next several seasons, rewriting the Rockets offensive record book along the way.  In 2016 he took over point guard responsibilities for the team and essentially became a one-man offensive system, known for controlling the ball throughout the shot clock before driving the lane, taking his signature step-back jumper, or passing to the open teammate when double-teamed.  He also became a polarizing figure due to his habit of deliberately entangling himself into the arms and legs of defenders during his shots, drawing fouls and free throw attempts along the way. 

Throughout his time with Houston, James Harden was regularly edged out for recognition by Steph Curry, even as his Rockets were knocked out numerous times by Curry's Golden State Warriors.  But despite never overcoming their playoff nemesis in four attempts, including a 2015 match-up that was interrupted by the Memorial Day Flood, Harden did reach the pinnacle of individual accomplishments when he was named the 2018 MVP after winning his first scoring title.  Harden led the NBA in scoring each of the following two seasons as well, but he felt that his time with Houston has run its course.  Despite having purchased an ownership stake in the local soccer teams he made the decision to leave Houston and issued a trade demand to the Rockets front office in the aftermath of the Covid-19 season suspension, which was granted on January 14, 2021 when Harden was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets.  Intending to create a so-called superteam with fellow stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets impressed for the remainder of the season but were ultimately defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks during the playoffs.  Harden earned his first Eastern Conference All-Star nod, his ninth consecutive year being selected, but the Nets never got to see if a second year of the trio of stars would have ended up being more successful.  Former Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who had brought him to Houston years before and then sent him away to Brooklyn, had taken the same position with the Philadelphia 76ers and once again traded for Harden during the 2022 campaign.  In one year for Philadelphia he made the All-Star team once again, but despite agreeing to an extension with the 76ers he requested a trade after being eliminated from the playoffs, citing distrust of Morey as the cause.  He was sent to the LA Clippers, where he had remained ever since.  While not the dominating force he one was, Harden earned an 11th All-Star selection last year after a two-year hiatus.  Within the last two weeks he surpassed Shaquille O'Neal for #9 on the all-time scoring list and figures to eclipse a few more legends of the game before he finishes his career.  Harden is one of the most accomplished and recognized players of his generation and will doubtless be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he finishes playing. 

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