What Is James Harden's Net Worth, Career Earnings and Salary?
James Harden is an American professional basketball player who has a net worth of $165 million. James Harden made a name for himself after moving from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021. He was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He was then traded to the LA Clippers in 2023. James has led the league in scoring three times, and he is an MVP winner and a 10-time NBA All-Star.
Today, James is considered one of the best players in the NBA and the best shooting guard in the league. Before playing in the NBA, Harden played college basketball for the Arizona Sun Devils. James also won Olympic gold medals with the United States national basketball team in 2012 at the Summer Olympics and in 2014 at the FIBA World Cup.
James is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. His annual base salary alone tops $35 million, and he earns millions more every year from endorsements.
Early Life
James Edward Harden Jr. was born on August 26, 1989, in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in a Christian household and remains a Christian to this day. Prior to his birth, his mother had a number of miscarriages. Harden has an older sister. Soon enough, James' basketball talents became obvious. He shone as a high school athlete and was named a McDonald's All-American. He also played for an AAU team that won the 2006 Las Vegas Adidas Super 64 championship.
After graduating from high school, Harden attended Arizona State and played for their basketball team. During this period, James started receiving considerable exposure and even appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" magazine. After finishing his sophomore season, Harden declared himself eligible for the 2009 NBA draft.
NBA Career
James began his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his first season, he recorded a very high three-pointer success rate despite being a young player. He eventually won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award after the 2011-2012 season. That season, he helped the Thunder reach the NBA Finals, although they lost to the Miami Heat. Harden was then offered a lucrative contract extension, but he declined and signed with the Houston Rockets instead.
Houston made it clear that they saw Harden as a "foundational player," and he did not play a reserve role as he had done with the Thunder. Almost immediately, he was offered a contract extension. Their faith in him proved well-founded, as Harden recorded some of the most impressive statistics in history during this first season with the team. During this period, he also won selection to the All-Star team for the first time.
Over the next few seasons, James was in close contention for the MVP Award – an award that he would eventually win in 2018. During this period, Harden was offered several additional contract extensions, and he was clearly an integral part of the Houston Rockets. He also led the league in scoring many times.
Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets at the beginning of the 2020-2021 season as part of a four-team trade. With the Nets, he made his ninth and 10th consecutive All-Star games. In February 2022, the Nets traded Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks. In 2023, James led the league in assists for the second time in his career. Harden also joined Michael Jordan, Jerry West, and Kobe Bryant as the only guards in history to compile at least 10 playoff games of 40 points or more.
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Salary and Contracts
Initially, Harden was earning about $14.7 million per year as an NBA player. Later, this sum increased to about $40 million as he became a more central player for the Rockets. In 2017, it was revealed that Harden had signed a new contract, making him the richest player in NBA history. The four-year extension with the Rockets was worth $228 million, paying James an average of $47 million per year.
In the fourth year of his contract (2021), Harden would have earned more than $530,000 per game. By the end of his contract, his total career earnings (salary and endorsements combined) will be north of $560 million. Between June 2016 and June 2017, James Harden earned $47 million from salary and endorsements. Between June 2017 and June 2018, James Harden earned $47 million. Between June 2018 and June 2019, James earned $45 million from his various endeavors.
In 2020, Harden's contract was almost up. Seeking to keep him with the team, Houston offered him a two-year, $103 million extension. Harden declined. The extension would have made Harden the first player to ever receive at least $50 million in a season. With three years and $132.9 million remaining on his deal, Harden will still make plenty of money. Harden probably turned down the extension to encourage a trade to another team – namely the Brooklyn Nets. That trade happened in January 2021.
After being traded to the 76ers, Harden signed a two-year, $68.64 million deal with Philadelphia. In June 2023, he picked up his $35.6 million player option with the team. He was traded to the Clippers ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
So far, over his NBA career, Harden has earned more than $40 million in salary alone.
Brand Endorsements
In 2015, James Harden signed a $200-million deal to leave Nike for rival sportswear company Adidas. The 13-year deal pays James an average of $15 million per year on top of his basketball salary, which is now higher than $40 million per year. Harden is also known for appearing in State Farm Insurance commercials.
James Harden's beard earned him an endorsement with Trolli's in which his face and beard were depicted on each gummy candy.
In 2019, Harden became a part owner in Houston professional soccer teams the Houston Dynamo of MLS and the Houston Dash of NWSL.
Real Estate
In 2015, Harden purchased a home in Houston for $2 million. The property originally belonged to Cuttino Mobley, another player in the NBA. Constructed in 2002 with Mediterranean design influences, the residence sits in a gated community within the Royal Oaks Country Club near a golf course. With 7,100 square feet of living space and four bedrooms, the property is quite luxurious. Notable features include a sweeping staircase, a stone fireplace, and a theater room. The home also sits on a half-acre plot of land, which includes an infinity pool and a spa.
In 2019, Harden splurged on a much more extensive estate. He reportedly paid $10 million for the residence, which sits on 3.5 acres of land in Rivercrest, an affluent neighborhood in Houston's suburbs. Spanning a whopping 26,000 square feet, the home features a wine room, a full bar, and a fitness room. The residence features steel, modern-inspired construction.
