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Oklahoma City Thunder: 25 Best Players To Play For The Thunder

By Phil Watson

May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 12: James Harden #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes up for a shot against Mike Miller #13 of the Miami Heat in the second quarter in Game One of the 2012 NBA Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 12, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 12: James Harden #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes up for a shot against Mike Miller #13 of the Miami Heat in the second quarter in Game One of the 2012 NBA Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 12, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

13. player. 149. 3rd overall pick from Arizona State, 2009 NBA Draft.. SG. 2009-12. James Harden

An All-American as a sophomore at Arizona State, James Harden cast his lot with the NBA.

He wound up being selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OKC_13_HARDEN
OKC_13_HARDEN /

Harden was an All-Rookie selection as a reserve for the Thunder and went on to win Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2011-12, the year Oklahoma City reached the NBA Finals.

In the five-game loss to the Miami Heat, Harden averaged 12.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.8 minutes a game off the bench, shooting .375/.318/.792.

In a much-debated deal in October 2012, the Thunder sent Harden with Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Lazar Hayward to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, a first-round pick in 2013 and future first- and second-round selections.

In three seasons in Oklahoma City, Harden averaged 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.7 minutes per game, shooting .444/.370/.835.

With the Rockets, Harden is a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection and has finished second in the league in scoring in each of the last two seasons after placing fifth in 2013-14.

Harden led the NBA in minutes per game in 2015-16, as well. He averaged 29.0 points, 7.5 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 38.1 minutes per game on .439/.359/.860 shooting, starting all 82 games for Houston.

On July 9, 2016, he renegotiated and extended the contract he orifinally signed in October 2012 for four years and $118 million, with the final season in 2019-20 a player option.

Harden is 43rd in NBA history with a free-throw percentage of .855 and 36th with an average of 21.1 points per game.

Next: Lamar Mundane Was A Breakout Star

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