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Ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, basketball legend James Harden is making headlines for reasons that have nothing to do with sports.
The NBA icon — whose Cleveland Cavs were previously knocked out of the playoffs by the ascendant New York Knicks — was arrested early Saturday morning in Houston after police discovered a handgun in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
According to court records obtained by TMZ, Harden was driving a Mercedes through downtown Houston at approximately 3:40 AM when officers stopped the vehicle.
During the encounter, police allegedly spotted a handgun sitting in the cup holder of the car. Harden reportedly acknowledged that the weapon belonged to him.
The 36-year-old was subsequently arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail on a misdemeanor charge related to unlawful carrying of a weapon.
He was later released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 22.
At this point, few additional details have been released regarding the incident, and Harden has not publicly commented on the arrest.
The legal trouble comes during what has already been an eventful year for the former NBA MVP.
Harden spent the latter portion of the 2025-26 season with the Cavs after being acquired in a February trade.
The veteran point guard averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists in 26 games with Cleveland and helped lead the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
One of the most accomplished players of his generation, Harden has earned multiple scoring titles, 11 All-Star selections, and the 2017-18 NBA MVP award during a career that has spanned more than 17 seasons.
Now, however, attention has shifted away from his future on the court and toward the legal proceedings ahead.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
