There’s still no end date on James Harden’s beard - at least not while he’s still lacing up his sneakers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star said Thursday that the iconic look is staying put for the rest of his playing days. If he ever decides to move on from it, that change will have to wait until retirement.
“I'm definitely gonna keep it while I'm playing basketball. Honestly, like once I'm away from the cameras all the time, then I can figure out if I wanna try to cut it and see what that looks like. But now, for sure, until I'm retired, I'm keeping this beard,” Harden said.
Harden is about to begin his 18th NBA season and his second with Cleveland. The 37-year-old helped push the Cavaliers to the East Finals last season, and now he’s trying to lead them back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018.
Even with the miles adding up, Harden remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons. His efficiency has slipped in recent seasons, but the scoring touch that made him one of the greatest scorers in NBA history is still very much there.
“Until I'm retired, I'm keeping this beard."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 15, 2026
- James Harden 😅
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/7zNdqIgGY9
For now, the beard stays. So does the bigger question: can Harden and the Cavaliers make one more serious run this year?
Cleveland finished its preseason on Oct. 13 after going 1-2. The Cavs dropped their opener to the Boston Celtics on Oct. 8, beat the Orlando Magic on Oct. 11, then fell to Orlando again in the rematch on Oct. 13.
The regular season starts on the road for Cleveland, which opens against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. ET.
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