James Harden

James Harden is an American basketball player who plays for the LA Clippers in the NBA. He was selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and is widely known as one of the best shooting guards in the league. He rose to fame during his college basketball career and made a name for himself by setting many records as a professional NBA player.

Early Life

James Harden was born on August 26, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, USA. He grew up in a Christian family and is African American. He is the youngest of three siblings and has an older sister, but not much is known about his siblings. His mother had several miscarriages before he was born.

His parents are James Harden Sr. and Monja Willis. His father served in the Navy, and his mother worked for AT&T in Pasadena. James was always closer to his mother and didn’t have a strong relationship with his father. He is left-handed, had asthma as a child, and spent a lot of time playing basketball video games.

James went to Artesia High School in Lakewood, where he learned about the school’s basketball program. Once his asthma was under control, he joined the school team. He played all three years in high school and was named a McDonald’s All-American during his freshman year.

After graduating in 2007, he attended Arizona State University. He joined the college basketball team and was named to the All-Pac-10 team in his first year. He graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree.

James Harden’s Career

James began his career in high school and then played for Arizona State University. In 2008, his team was considered a “bubble team” for the NCAA Tournament. In his freshman year, he was named All-District by both the NABC and USBWA. In his sophomore year, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s basketball preview issue.

In 2009, James Harden was picked in the NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. The next season, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

After that season, he didn’t renew his contract with the Thunder and joined the Houston Rockets. In the 2012–13 season, he started breaking records and was named Player of the Week more than three times. He was selected for the All-NBA Third Team and became a top MVP candidate. He made the All-NBA First Team in both 2013 and 2014. He also finished second behind Stephen Curry in the MVP race.

In 2015, he was named MVP by the National Basketball Players Association. In 2016, he signed a new deal with the Rockets and started playing as a point guard. He finished that season with over 2,000 points, becoming the first player in NBA history to do so. The next season, the Rockets finished as the No. 1 seed for the first time, and James was named both NBA MVP and Players Association MVP for 2017.

Widespread Fame

In 2020, James asked to be traded and showed up late to training. He was later traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game with the team, he made history by getting a triple-double, becoming the first player ever to do so in a debut game.

That same season, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Player of the Month several times. However, he got injured during the season with a strained hamstring and had to leave a game early. He missed about 18 games.

He later tried to come back but had to leave the court after just one minute due to the injury getting worse. James Harden has also played for the U.S. national team. He won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and helped the team win the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

He was chosen for the 2016 Olympics but later withdrew. Off the court, James has been endorsed by big brands like Adidas and signed several deals with them. He also owns stakes in sports teams like the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash, and has become a businessman.

Personal Life

James Harden is currently dating his girlfriend, Paije Speights, who often gets attention in the media. However, the couple kept their relationship quiet until June 2024. They made their first public appearance together at Rajon Rondo’s wedding in Italy. Fans noticed them right away, but the real surprise came during the bouquet toss.

Paije caught the bouquet, which, according to tradition, means she might be the next to get married. Harden’s reaction was priceless. His mix of shock and fake panic had everyone laughing. A video of the moment went viral, and fans joked that Harden might trade stepbacks for a wedding ring.

Paije later posted online, joking about the moment and calming down rumors about wedding plans. Since then, the couple has been seen together a few more times. Still, they keep most of their relationship out of the spotlight and away from headlines.

Previously, Harden began dating Jessyka Janshel, a 33-year-old model featured in many magazines and ad campaigns, in 2017. They stayed together for several years. Before Jessyka, James was in a high-profile relationship with Khloé Kardashian, which ended in 2017. He has also been linked to other celebrities, including Amber Rose, Sarah Bellew, Brittany Renner, and Kyra Chaos.

James Harden Net Worth

James Harden has been a professional basketball player for many years and has stayed very active in the sport. He has set several records and earned both respect and wealth. James has also signed endorsement deals with major brands and owns shares in basketball teams. Most of his income comes from his basketball career, along with earnings from endorsements and business ventures. His estimated net worth is around $165 million.

Trivia

• James Harden started growing his famous beard because he was too lazy to shave. Over time, it became his trademark look and even turned into a popular design for merchandise.
• He won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2018 and has been a strong contender for it more than three times.
• James was named to the All-NBA First Team six times from 2014 to 2020.
• He was the NBA scoring champion for three years in a row, from 2018 to 2020.
• Harden is the highest-scoring left-handed player in NBA history, although he is often considered weaker on defense.