Harden's No. 13 To Go In The Rafters Feb. 18 When @SUNDEVILHOOPS Hosts UCLA
Olympic Gold Medalist and 2008-09 First-team Consensus All-American James Harden will become the seventh Sun Devil to have his number and jersey honored in the Wells Fargo Arena rafters, Sun Devil head coach Herb Sendek has announced. Harden’s No. 13 will join Eddie House (5), Jumpin’ Joe Caldwell (32), Byron Scott (11), Lionel Hollins (33), Alton Lister (53) and Fat Lever (12) in the rafters. The date will be Wednesday, Feb. 18, when the Sun Devils host UCLA at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
"We are proud of all James accomplished while he was at Arizona State. He was so focused and driven to continue to improve and get better every day. Our current players have been able to meet him, and while they are amazed at his game, they speak just as highly about his work ethic and desire," notes Sun Devil head coach Herb Sendek. "Simply put, James Harden is one of those players everyone is talking about when NBA basketball is being discussed. We are so proud of him being a Sun Devil and representing us across the world."
Harden entered Arizona State as the most coveted signee in school history (first McDonald's All-American to sign with ASU out of high school since 1984) and left after two years as the most decorated, as he was the first Sun Devil to earn consensus first-team All-America honors with his play in 2008-2009. He became the third Sun Devil to earn Pac-10 Player of the Year, joining Eddie House (1999-2000) and Ike Diogu (2004-2005), and earned first-team All-America honors from Associated Press, Sporting News, United States Basketball Writers Association, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Basketball Times.
He became just the fifth player in Pac-10 history to lead the league in scoring (20.1 ppg.) and steals (1.69 per game) when he accomplished the feat in 2008-2009, and he also led the league in steals in each of his two seasons with 132 in his career.
"Arizona State was an amazing place for me to grow as a basketball player and as an individual, and to begin my road to the NBA. The ASU staff played a huge part in my progression, and I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to help lead that program back to the NCAA tournament," says Harden, the 2010-11 NBA Sixth Man of the Year who earned first-team All-NBA last season, and was the third pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. "To have my number hung from the rafters with the likes of Olympic gold medalists and NBA champions will be one of the best moments of my life. I want to thank the Arizona State student section for always bringing such incredible energy to each game! My family and friends and I look forward to being a part of that enthusiasm when I am fortunate enough to have my number 13 honored that evening."
The year prior to Harden's arrival ASU was 8-22 and lost 15 straight, but after stepping onto campus he led ASU to back-to-back 20-win seasons (21-13 in 2007-08 and 25-10 in 2008-09) for the first time Jimmy Carter gave up his seat to Ronald Reagan (officially on Jan. 20, 1981).
He led ASU to a 5-0 mark against Arizona in his two seasons, the first time ASU had won five straight against the Wildcats since a nine-game streak from 1979-83. Harden shot 13-of-23 from the floor (.565) and averaged 19.5 points in two wins over UCLA in 2008-09, ASU's third sweep of UCLA in the Sun Devil's 31-year Pac-10 history.
PAC-10 CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICANS (1978-79 TO PRESENT)
1978-79, David Greenwood, UCLA
1980-81, Steve Johnson, OSU
1987-88, Sean Elliott, ARIZ
1988-89, Sean Elliott, ARIZ
1989-90, Gary Payton, OSU
1991-92, Harold Miner, USC
1993-94, Jason Kidd, CAL
1994-95, Damon Stoudamire, ARIZ; Ed O'Bannon, UCLA
1997-98, Mike Bibby, ARIZ; Miles Simon, ARIZ
1998-99, Jason Terry, ARIZ
2000-01, Casey Jacobsen, STAN
2001-02, Sam Clancy, USC
2002-03, Jason Gardner, ARIZ
2003-04, Josh Childress, STAN
2005-06, Brandon Roy, WASH
2006-07, Arron Afflalo, UCLA
2007-08, Kevin Love, UCLA
2008-09, James Harden, ASU
2013-14, Nick Johnson, UA