NBA all-star swept by Knicks is arrested on gun charge in Houston

Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden was arrested in Houston, Texas, on a gun charge.

Harden, 36, was taken into custody on Saturday and booked on one misdemeanor count of unlawfully carrying weapons, according to Harris County court records.

A Houston Police Department spokesperson told The Independent that the arrest took place around 3 a.m. during a traffic stop at 1800 Crawford Street, located downtown. When officers approached the vehicle, the driver identified himself as James Harden and he was taken into custody.

The California native was accused of “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” having a gun in his vehicle, which was unholstered and “in plain view,” according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The New York Post. Sources told the outlet that the shooting guard had been at a Houston hookah lounge with friends before the early morning arrest.

Harden was released after paying a $100 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on June 22, court records show.

Under the conditions of his bond, he is barred from possessing weapons or consuming drugs or alcohol, and he must also submit to urine testing, NBC News reported.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information,” a representative for the NBA team said in a statement provided to The Independent. “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.”

After a standout career at Arizona State, Harden was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009. He later played for the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Clippers before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers last year. Nicknamed “The Beard,” Harden is regarded by many as one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history.

In his first season in Cleveland, Harden helped the Cavaliers reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated in a sweep by the New York Knicks — who are now one win away from clinching their first NBA championship since 1973.