In television, a show that gets significantly better after an inauspicious start is said to have "grown the beard," due to Star Trek: The Next Generation's coming-of-age happily coinciding with Jonathan Frakes' William Riker sporting some solid facial hair.
Perhaps the most literal interpretation of that in the sports world is superstar James Harden, whose beard has become one of the most signature looks not just in basketball, but in all of sports.
Harden, who came into the league fresh-faced out of Arizona State in 2009 on the Oklahoma City Thunder, didn't have a particularly impressive Santa Claus beard going yet. He had facial hair yes, but it was hardly the signature mane NBA fans know today.
The 76ers guard has seen several different looks through the years, with each accompanying a different era of play.
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Here's a brief glimpse of Harden through the years, and what different beards meant for different parts of his career.
James Harden college with Arizona State: No beard
The Look:
The best place to begin is at the beginning. Arizona State James Harden looked completely different from what NBA fans are used to now.
He had what would generously be described as stubble. But make no mistake. Beard or no beard Harden could play. He averaged 20 points per game in his second season with the Sun Devils before officially being drafted third overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft.
James Harden rookie season with Thunder: The 5 o'clock shadow beard
The Look:
Harden came into the league with a very different look from what he has now. He had the beginnings of a beard, to be sure, but it was just coming in and was hardly a stylistic choice. It just looked like he decided to let it grow for a bit.
This was Harden's time as a role player on a Thunder team that had Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He averaged under 10 points a game as a rookie in just over 20 minutes per game. His beard matched his role at the time. Small, but with potential.
James Harden 2nd season with Thunder: Mature beard
The Look:
Harden's beard started to get some volume as his Thunder career progressed, and look at how happy he is about it.
The Thunder started to use Harden to his potential as his career there progressed, or at least his potential while being overshadowed by a pair of superstars. He averaged double digits in the years following his rookie year, including a 2011 season in which he shot 39 percent from three, showcasing his potential there.
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James Harden 2012 NBA Finals with Thunder: The signature beard
The Look:
Even in that second Thunder photo, you can see how angular Harden's chin was. Not by year four, when Harden's beard started to become a signature of his.
Harden was still playing third fiddle on the Thunder, and despite flashes of the brilliance we would see in years to come, it was clear it wasn't the place for him. Perhaps that's why, although he's getting a look that will become his entire brand, he looks displeased here.
James Harden trade to Rockets: Fresh face new place
The Look:
Harden joining the Rockets was a turning point for his career. He average 25.9 points per game in his first season in Houston, and immediately became an eminent NBA star.
While his beard still had a lot of growth to be done, it was enough that it became an immediately distinguishable trait among NBA fans. This was also Harden's most "polished" look, with the haircut to boot.
James Harden MVP season with Rockets: Beard > rest of face
The Look:
Bearded Harden was nothing short of a sensation. He had eight years of dominance with the Rockets, and on top of that, he was durable in a way many NBA stars weren't. He played at least 70 games in seven of those eight dominant years in Houston, and 68 in the final one.
He averaged 30-plus points per game in 2017, 2018, and 2019, with his 2018 performance netting him an MVP. These, as they say in mob movies, were the good years.
James Harden's last season with Rockets: Manicured yet overgrown
The Look:
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and Harden's face clearly suggests this good thing has reached its natural conclusion.
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There is, of course, dramatic license taken here -- Harden isn't frowning because he's upset, he's frowning because the photographer told him to. This does hold true, however, as 2019 was Harden's last full season with the Rockets before his trade request in November 2020. The Rockets would eventual acquiesce, leading to...
James Harden with Nets: The Mountain Man Beard
The Look:
Nets James Harden was arguably the most majestic of all.
Was the Durant-Kyrie Irving-Harden experiment a disaster? Absolutely. But look at that beard Harden is sporting. This must have been the point of diminishing returns.
James Harden with 76ers: The Rebound Beard
The Look:
Finally, we come to modern-day Harden, who is still going strong, although his beard looks a bit more manicured than it did in Brooklyn.
Harden may not be putting the video game numbers he did in Houston with the Sixers, but he has fallen into a slightly more deferential role than years' past, and it's worked for him thus far. Harden is still putting up stats at times, but they perhaps aren't what fans are used to.
Ultimately, Harden's beard is equivalent to Anthony Davis's unibrow or Steph Curry's mouthguard. And although it has looked different through the years, it's always been present. Harden's chin was really last seen as a fresh-faced Thunder player, and he's never played in the NBA without at least some coverage. Even at Arizona State, it existed.
Harden has a high bar for cutting it too.
“Oh yea, I would cut it," Harden said in 2022, per Basketball Network. I mean because it’s going to grow right back. Yeah, $10 million minimum is where I am like ‘alright.’"
Harden is still looking for his first NBA championship, and he and the 76ers look like strong contenders here in 2023. If they're to go all the way, he'll have to keep playing at a high level. And at least in his head, if that quote is anything to go by, it seems like the source of his power to do that is in his beard.
