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Former Sixers Star Makes NBA History With LA Clippers

James Harden is in a historic category of his own.
Justin Grasso|
Nov 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) looks on against Philadelphia 76ers forward KJ Martin (1) in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Nov 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) looks on against Philadelphia 76ers forward KJ Martin (1) in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

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The road seemed a bit bumpy for James Harden last year as he reached a point of no return with the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the 2023-2024 season. As the 11-time NBA All-Star is clearly back on track with the Los Angeles Clippers, the superstar guard lands in a historic category of his own.

According to StatMamba, Harden is the only player in NBA history to currently have over 25,000 points, 5,000 assists, and 3,000 three-pointers made.

After missing the All-Star mark over the last two seasons, Harden earned his 11th nod as he continues thriving during his second season with the Clippers.

This season, Harden appeared in 55 games. He’s been posting averages of 22 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. The veteran sharpshooter has been making 35 percent of his threes on nearly nine attempts per game. As the focal point of the Clippers, Harden has led LA to the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 32-26 record so far.

Last year, Harden admitted he once believed he would retire after playing for the Sixers last. After landing in Philadelphia via trade in 2022, Harden closed out the year with a 21-game stretch before a playoff run that ended in round two of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

The following offseason, Harden signed a short-term deal with the Sixers. The veteran guard was praised for taking a discount to free up funds to sign certain players to join the supporting cast. During his only full season with the Sixers, Harden averaged 21 points and 11 assists through 58 games. The Sixers lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

Harden hoped to land a long-term contract with the Sixers for 2023-2024 and beyond, but the Sixers didn’t get a chance to talk shop with the All-Star. Harden picked up his second-year player option and requested a trade right away. It took a few months before the Sixers sent Harden to the Clippers.

Now, the future Hall of Famer is in the midst of a short-term deal with LA. While a lot of Harden’s success stems from his days with the Houston Rockets, the veteran guard also played for the OKC Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets as well.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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