Former Houston Rockets star James Harden was arrested in Houston early Saturday morning and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to Harris County court records.
Court documents show Harden, 36, was arrested by the Houston Police Department at approximately 3:41 a.m. on Saturday. He was charged with misdemeanor unlawful carrying of a weapon and later released on bond.
According to charging documents filed in Harris County, prosecutors allege Harden “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” carried a handgun in a vehicle he owned while the firearm was in plain view and not carried in a holster.
The court filing does not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Court records indicate Harden is scheduled to appear before Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 on June 22.
Harden previously played nine seasons for the Rockets and won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2018. Since uncermoniously leaving Houston in 2021, Harden has played for the Nets, Sixers, Clippers before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The star continues to have strong ties to Houston, even though his former restaurant, Thirteen, was closed in recent months for unpaid rent.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.