Before entering the NBA world, James Harden was making headlines at Artesia High School in Lakewood, California. Harden’s journey to becoming an NBA superstar started on the high school basketball courts where he showed a level of skill and scoring ability that hinted at his future potential.
As a sophomore at Artesia, Harden was playing okay averaging 12.3 points and helping to a 28-5 season. But actually, it was his junior year when he took everyone’s attention. With an average of 18.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, Harden led Artesia to a California state title and an outstanding 33-1 record.
The following year, Harden’s final season with Artesia was also impressive as the Varsity repeated as state champions with a 33-2 record. Harden maintained his statistics averaging 18.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Due to his outstanding performances, he was named to the McDonald’s All-American team and the Parade All-American second team.
Apart from his school career, Harden also played an important role in leading his Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, Pump-N-Run Elite, to the 2006 Las Vegas Adidas Super 64 championship. Harden was outstanding, scoring 34 points against a DC Assault team that included players like Michael Beasley, Nolan Smith, and Austin Freeman and he scored 33 points on the same day against the Houston Hoops.
James Harden averaged 17.1 Points per game over his three years at Artesia
Over his three years at Artesia High School, James Harden played 78 games and averaged an outstanding 17.1 points, totaling 1,330 points with a field goal percentage of 60. These numbers were a clear indicator of Harden’s talent.
Year | GD | Team | GP | Pts | PPG | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3FGM | 3FGA |
06-07 | Sr. | Varsity | 35 | 658 | 18.8 | 222 | 351 | 63 | 41 | 86 |
05-06 | Jr. | Varsity | 23 | 427 | 18.6 | 166 | 272 | 61 | 35 | 83 |
04-05 | So. | Varsity | 20 | 245 | 12.3 | 85 | 169 | 50 | 36 | 81 |
Total | 78 | 1330 | 17.1 | 473 | 792 | 60 | 112 | 250 |
After high school Harden went to play college basketball at at Arizona State University, where he continued to refine his skills and applied his high school success. In college Harden was named a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009.
James Harden in high school pic.twitter.com/HPcdvjAMrB
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 5, 2020
This success finally led to his selection as the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Considering his high school career, it’s clear that James Harden was always destined for greatness.