NBA Star James Harden Arrested, Charged With Unlawfully Carrying Gun

James Harden—who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers—was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon in Houston, Texas on June 13.

By Paige Catton Jun 13, 2026 11:39 PM

| Updated 5 hours ago

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NBA Star James Harden Arrested, Charged With Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

James Harden is facing legal trouble.

The NBA star was arrested and charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon in Houston, Texas on June 13, according to Harris County court records obtained by multiple outlets.

Harden, 36, was arrested around 3:40 a.m. ET after he was pulled over in downtown Houston, and a police officer discovered a handgun in his vehicle that was in plain sight and not in a holster, per the docs. The Cleveland Cavaliers point guard was subsequently taken into custody and booked with the misdemeanor charge. He was released on bond a few hours later, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Harden’s bond terms prohibit him from possessing any firearms, ammunition or other weapons, per the court documents. In addition, ahead of his court date—which is set for June 22—the athlete is required to submit to random urine tests and is banned from using or possessing alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances, including marijuana, unless prescribed by a doctor.

E! News has reached out to Harden’s representative for comment but has not heard back.

The Cavaliers—which Harden joined earlier this year after a mid-season trade from the Los Angeles Clippers—released a statement acknowledging Harden’s arrest.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information,” the team said in a statement, per ESPN. “We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”

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Harden joined the NBA in 2009 after he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team on which he played until 2012, before he was traded to the Houston Rockets. After playing on both the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023.

In February, he was acquired by the Cavaliers, who were eliminated in the playoffs last month by the New York Knicks.

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