James Harden is a multi-millionaire American professional basketball player. He became a household name when he joined the Houston Rockets from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Brooklyn Nets acquired him on January 1, 2021. James has led the league in scoring three times, has won the MVP award, and has been an NBA All-Star eight times.
As of now, James is widely regarded as one of the NBA’s finest players, and he is also often regarded as the league’s best shooting guard. NBA star James Harden played collegiate hoops for the Arizona Sun Devils before turning professional in the NBA. In addition, James was a member of the United States national basketball team as it won the 2012 Summer Olympics gold medal.
It’s no surprise that James is one of the NBA’s highest-paid players. His base compensation is $44 million a year. Every year, he makes tens of millions of dollars more through endorsements.
Early Life
James Edward Harden Jr. was born on August 26th, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, and is the son of James Edward Harden Sr. Harden was reared in a Christian home, and he continues to be a devout follower of Christ to this day. His mother endured a number of miscarriages before to the birth of his son. Harden has a sister who is a year older than him. Soon enough, James’ basketball abilities became very clear. He was a standout athlete in high school, earning him a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team. He also competed for an AAU squad that was victorious in the 2006 Las Vegas Adidas Super 64 tournament.
Harden attended Arizona State University and was a member of the Sun Devils’ basketball team after graduating from high school. During this time period, James began to receive significant media attention, and he even appeared on the cover of the magazine “Sports Illustrated.” Harden declared himself eligible for the 2009 NBA draught after finishing his sophomore campaign.
NBA Career
James began his professional basketball career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite the fact that he was still a rookie, he had a very high three-point shooting percentage during his first season with the team. After the 2011-2012 season, he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, an honour he later received. During that season, he assisted the Oklahoma City Thunder in reaching the NBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Miami Heat. In the following months, Harden was given a hefty contract extension, which he turned down in favour of signing with the Houston Rockets.
Harden’s new team, the Rockets, made it obvious that they viewed him as a “foundational player,” and he did not serve in a reserve capacity like he had with the Thunder. He was offered a contract extension almost shortly after that. Harden’s confidence in the team was well-placed, as he put together some of the most astounding statistical performances in NBA history during his first season with the franchise. During this time period, he was also named to the All-Star squad for the first time in his career.
With each of the next several seasons, James found himself in a tight race for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award – an award that he would eventually win in 2018. During this time span, Harden was offered a series of further contract extensions, demonstrating that he was a valuable member of the Houston Rockets’ organisation. He also had a couple of seasons in which he was the leading scorer in the league.
Salary and Contracts
Harden was making approximately $14.7 million per year as an NBA player at the time of his retirement. Later on, when he became a more important part of the Rockets’ offence, his contract was upped to almost $40 million. In 2017, it was reported that Harden had signed a new contract, making him the richest player in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Rockets offered James a four-year agreement worth $228 million, which equated to an average annual salary of $47 million for James.
Harden would have earned more than $530,000 per game in the fourth year of his contract, which would have been in 2021. By the end of his deal, his total career earnings (including salary and endorsements) will be in excess of $560 million, according to Forbes. Including his salary and endorsements, James Harden earned a total of $47 million between the months of June 2016 and June 2017. James Harden made a total of $47 million between June 2017 and June 2018. In the six months between June 2018 and June 2019, James earned a total of $45 million from his numerous ventures.
Harden’s contract was set to expire at the end of 2020. Houston offered him a two-year, $103 million contract deal in an effort to keep him on the team…. Harden turned down the offer. Harden would have become the first player in history to earn at least $50 million in a single season if the extension had been granted. Harden still has three years and $132.9 million left on his contract, which means he will make a substantial sum of money. Most likely, Harden turned down the extension in order to encourage a trade to another team, in this case, the Brooklyn Nets. That transaction took place in January 2021.
Property
Harden spent $2 million on a property in Houston, which he purchased in 2015. A former NBA star named Cuttino Mobley owned the land on which the building stands today. The property, which was built in 2002 with Mediterranean design influences, is located in a gated neighbourhood within the Royal Oaks Country Club, close to a golf course.
The property has seven hundred and one hundred square feet of living space and four bedrooms, making it fairly lavish. A sweeping staircase, a stone fireplace, and a theatre room are among the home’s notable features. Furthermore, the residence is situated on a half-acre plot of ground, which features an infinity pool and a spa.
This year, Harden decided to invest on a significantly larger estate. He reportedly paid $10 million for the home, which lies on 3.5 acres of ground in Rivercrest, a wealthy community in Houston’s suburbs. He is the second owner of the home. The house itself is a huge 26,000 square feet in size and includes a wine cellar, a full bar, and a fitness area. Building materials used in the construction of the residence include steel and modern-inspired design.
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