It feels like a lifetime ago. Before the signature step-back, before the massive beard became a global brand, and way before the trade requests started piling up, James Harden was just a kid from Arizona State with a weirdly efficient game. If you’re asking when did James Harden get drafted, the short answer is June 25, 2009. But that date is just a tiny piece of a much larger, more chaotic puzzle.
He didn't go number one. He wasn't even the most talked-about guard in that class at the time. Honestly, the 2009 NBA Draft was one of those rare nights that fundamentally re-routed the history of three different franchises.
The Oklahoma City Thunder took Harden with the 3rd overall pick. At the time, people weren't entirely sure how he’d fit. The Thunder already had Kevin Durant. They already had Russell Westbrook. Adding a high-usage lefty from the Pac-10 felt like a luxury, or maybe a gamble. It turns out, it was the start of a dynasty that never quite happened, a "what if" that still keeps NBA fans up at night.
The Night Everything Shifted in OKC
The scene at Madison Square Garden was electric. Blake Griffin was the consensus lock for the first pick to the Clippers—no surprises there. Then the Hasheem Thabeet era started in Memphis (we don’t need to talk about how that went for the Grizzlies). Suddenly, the Thunder were on the clock.
When Commissioner David Stern announced James Harden as the third pick, it was a statement of intent. Sam Presti, the Thunder GM, was obsessed with "process" and "intellectual" basketball players. Harden fit the bill. He wasn't the fastest guy on the court. He didn't jump the highest. But he had this strange, rhythmic timing that threw defenders off.
Think about the context of 2009. The Lakers had just beaten the Magic in the Finals. The league was still very much about big men and isolation scorers. Harden was different. He was a playmaker trapped in a shooting guard’s body. At Arizona State, he’d averaged over 20 points a game, but it was his passing that actually made scouts drool. He saw the floor three seconds before anyone else did.
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Why the 2009 Draft Class Was Actually Insane
It’s easy to forget who else was in that room. When you look back at when did James Harden get drafted, you have to look at the guys sitting in the chairs around him.
- Stephen Curry went 7th to Golden State. Imagine a world where the Timberwolves didn't take two point guards (Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn) right before him.
- DeMar DeRozan went 9th to Toronto.
- Jrue Holiday slipped all the way to 17th.
The 2009 class wasn't just deep; it was transformative. It produced three MVPs: Curry, Harden, and Westbrook (who was drafted the year prior but blossomed alongside them). It basically birthed the modern, pace-and-space NBA. Harden was the vanguard of that movement, even if he started his career coming off the bench.
The Sixth Man Identity
For the first three years of his career, Harden wasn't "The Beard." He was the league's ultimate weapon in reserve. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2012, and he was arguably the second-most important player on a Thunder team that made it to the NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Heat.
That’s the part that gets lost. Most top-three picks demand the ball and 40 minutes a night immediately. Harden waited. He learned how to manipulate second units. He learned how to draw fouls—a skill he would later turn into a mathematical art form. By the time the 2012 Finals rolled around, it was clear he was too good for a bench role.
Then came the trade.
The Houston Rockets offered a package that Oklahoma City, fearing the luxury tax, accepted. Looking back, it’s one of the most lopsided trades in sports history. OKC got Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and picks. Houston got a perennial MVP candidate who would redefine the shooting guard position for a decade.
The Analytics Revolution and the Step-Back
Once he arrived in Houston, the question of when did James Harden get drafted became a benchmark for the "Moreyball" era. Daryl Morey, then the Rockets' GM, saw in Harden a player who could maximize every possession.
Harden stopped taking mid-range jumpers. He focused entirely on layups, free throws, and three-pointers. It was boring to some, infuriating to others, but statistically, it was lethal. He went from a promising young player to a guy who could drop 50 points on any given Tuesday.
He didn't just play basketball; he exploited the rulebook. He knew exactly where the defenders' arms would be. He’d drive, initiate contact, and head to the line. It drove fans crazy. But you can't argue with the efficiency. Between 2017 and 2020, Harden’s scoring output was something we hadn't seen since the peak of Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan.
Breaking Down the Numbers
In his 2018-19 season, Harden averaged 36.1 points per game. Read that again. 36.1. He had a stretch where he scored 30 or more points in 32 consecutive games. It was a video game performance in real life.
The Legacy of the 2009 Pick
So, when we talk about James Harden’s draft day, we’re really talking about the moment the NBA’s hierarchy began to fracture. If OKC keeps him, do they win three titles? Probably. Does Stephen Curry still become the greatest shooter ever if Harden is standing in his way in the Western Conference every year? Maybe not.
Harden’s journey from the 3rd pick in 2009 to a nomad playing for the Nets, Sixers, and Clippers is a wild ride. He’s become a polarizing figure. Critics point to his lack of a championship ring and his defensive lapses. Supporters point to the fact that he is one of the greatest offensive engines to ever step on hardwood.
He’s a 10-time All-Star. He’s an MVP. He’s a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Not bad for a guy some people thought was a "reach" at number three.
What You Should Take Away From This
Understanding Harden's draft history isn't just about trivia. It’s about understanding how talent evaluation works—and how easily it can go wrong.
If you're following the NBA today, keep these things in mind:
- Draft position isn't destiny. While Harden lived up to his 3rd overall status, guys like Hasheem Thabeet (picked 2nd) show that physical tools mean nothing without the right mindset and skill development.
- Context is king. Harden’s career took off because he was traded to a system that let him be himself. In OKC, he was a piece of the puzzle. In Houston, he was the puzzle.
- The "Third Star" Dilemma. The Thunder's inability to keep Durant, Westbrook, and Harden together remains the ultimate cautionary tale for NBA front offices. It's the reason why teams today are so aggressive about "superteams" and managing the salary cap.
If you want to see the impact of that 2009 draft for yourself, go back and watch highlights of the 2012 Western Conference Finals. Watch a young, thin, mostly-clean-shaven James Harden dismantle the San Antonio Spurs. You’ll see the flashes of the player who would eventually change the way the game is coached and played. He was already there, hiding in plain sight, waiting for the keys to his own franchise.
Next time you see a player pull off a double-step-back three or bait a defender into a shooting foul, remember June 2009. That was the night the blueprint for the modern guard was officially handed over to the league.
Next Steps for NBA Fans:
To truly understand the evolution of Harden’s game, compare his Arizona State college tape to his 2018 MVP season. Notice how his footwork remained consistent even as his strength and range exploded. You can also look into the "2009 NBA Redraft" articles by experts like Bill Simmons or the writers at The Athletic—most now place Harden or Curry at the #1 spot, showing just how much we underestimated that class on draft night.