James Edward Harden Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays as the shooting guard for the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s club, Brooklyn Nets. Before joining the Brooklyn Nets, Harden played for Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Aptly nicknamed The Beard for his iconic beard, James Harden is considered one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the NBA. Some pundits have termed him the best shooting guard in the NBA, as well as one of the league’s top overall players.
Harden is also one of the highest-paid NBA players today, taking home an annual salary of $44 million. He’s also one of the wealthiest NBA superstars, with a net worth of $170 million.
Outside of the NBA, James Harden is known for inspiring the United States national team to some of its historic wins. Harden made the national team twice and assisted the team in winning gold medals during the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup.
Quick Facts
| Full Name: | James Edward Harden Jr. |
| Popular Name: | James Harden |
| Nicknames: | The Beard |
| Birth Date: | August 26, 1989 |
| Age: | 33 years |
| Parents: | James Harden Sr. and Monja Willis |
| Siblings: | Akili Roberson (half-brother) and Arnique Jelks (sister) |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | Mixed (White and Russian) |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Education: | Audubon Middle School, Artesia High School, and Arizona State University |
| Marital Status: | Unmarried |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Children: | None |
| Net Worth: | USD 170 million |
| Source of Wealth: | Salary from Basketball Playing, Product Endorsements, and Other Ventures |
| Height: | 6′ 5″ (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 100 kg; In pounds: 220 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
James Harden was born on August 26, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, to James Harden Sr. and Monja Willis. Harden credits his success in basketball to his supportive mother. As a young kid, Harden’s mother encouraged James and his siblings to pursue a career in sports.
James Harden’s love for basketball began to show when he joined Artesia High School in Lakewood, California. During his sophomore year, Harden averaged 13.2 points. His high school stats improved dramatically to 18.8 points in his junior season. Harden inspired Artesia to win the California state title in his junior and final years.
Due to his exceptional high school basketball performance, Harden was named a McDonald’s All-American. He also earned himself second-team Parade All American honors.
After graduating from high school, James Harden proceeded to Arizona State University, where his basketball star kept shining. He earned several honors and recognitions, including being named the first-team All-Pac-10, first-team All-District, the 2009 All-Pac 10 Tournament Team, and the Pacific-10 Conference’s Player of the Year.
James Harden received considerable exposure while playing college basketball for Arizona State University. He was even featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. After completing his sophomore year, Harden declared his eligibility for the 2009 NBA draft.
James Harden joined the Oklahoma City Thunder after emerging the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He played with the Oklahoma City Thunder for three years before being traded to the Houston Rockets, before the 2012-2013 NBA season.
Harden played for the Houston Rockets for a record nine years before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets at the beginning of the 2020-2021 season.
The following are James Harden’s notable career achievements;
• McDonald’s All-American (2007)
• Pac-10 Player of the Year (2009)
• NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award (2012)
• All-NBA Third Team Award (2013)
• NBA Most Valuable Player Award (2018)
• 2 First-team All-Pac-10 Awards (2008 and 2009)
• 3 NBA Scoring Champion Awards (2018–2020)
• 6 All-NBA First Team Awards (2014, 2015, and 2017–2020)
• 9 NBA All-Star Awards (2013–2021)
James Harden’s Net Worth
James Harden is undoubtedly one of the wealthiest NBA players today. Harden has amassed a net worth of $170 million during the course of his NBA career. Although Harden’s net worth still pales in comparison to that of the richest NBA player of all time – Michael Jordan ($1.7 billion), it’s definitely more than many NBA players would ever make in their lifetime.
Much of James Harden’s earnings come from basketball salary and endorsement deals.
Harden is currently considered the second-highest-paid player in NBA, with an annual salary of $44,310,840. He ties with Houston Rockets’ John Wall. The league’s highest-earning player is Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, with a salary of $45,780,966.
James Harden’s highest endorsement earnings came from the $200 million deal he inked with Nike in 2015. Harden reportedly makes $15 million annually from Nike alone.
Lessons from James Harden
1. Job satisfaction overrides salary considerations
After playing with Oklahoma City Thunder for a couple of months, James Harden realized that he was unhappy with his role in the club. He declined to sign an extension contract, which saw him being traded to the Houston Rockets.
2. Live your life
Harden is one of NBA’s wealthiest superstars and he doesn’t shy away from leading a posh lifestyle. How else would he enjoy his well-deserved earnings?
3. Remember God when you make it to the top
James Harden is a devout Christian and openly talks about his faith. Harden is always quick to attribute his success to God. He once said “I just want to thank God for everything he has done in my life”
Famous Quotes by James Harden
• If you have a dream, chase it no matter what it takes.
• Being in attack mode is something I try to bring into every single game, and that’s what’s making me be so successful.
• In any situation, I’m going to be good.
• This is a business and everything happens for a reason. I’m going to just to play hard, try to play hard and do whatever it takes to win.
• Being named as a finalist for the USA Basketball National Team is an unbelievable feeling and an opportunity that is truly humbling. It is an honor to be included with such talented players and I look forward to the chance to represent my country this summer.
Wrap Up
James Harden is one of the most accomplished basketball players in the NBA, with lots of impressive stats to his name.
Harden is also one of the league’s richest basketball players. His current net worth stands at $170 million.
