ASU's James Harden Named Pac-10 Player of the Year

Although the ASU men's basketball team didn't win the Pac-10 Conference championship this year, Sun Devils guard James Harden was named Pac-10 Player of the Year today by conference coaches.The 6-foot-5 sophomore led the Pac-10 in scoring with 20.8 points per game. He also averaged 1.7 steals, 4.1 assists, and...

By Niki D'Andrea

March 9, 2009

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Although the ASU men's basketball team didn't win the Pac-10 Conference championship this year, Sun Devils guard James Harden was named Pac-10 Player of the Year today by conference coaches.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore led the Pac-10 in scoring with 20.8 points per game. He also averaged 1.7 steals, 4.1 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. This past Thanksgiving, he scored a career high 40 points in the 76 Classic game against Texas-El Paso. All in all, he's accumulated nearly 1,300 points over two seasons.

Harden, who's expected to declare for the NBA draft at the end of this season, is only the third sophomore to win the Pac-10 Player of the Year award. He joins former Cal and Phoenix Suns player Jason Kidd (1994), now the starting point guard for the Dallas Mavericks and former Arizona Wildcats and Shadow Mountain High player Mike Bibby (1998), now starting at point for the Atlanta Hawks.

(View highlights from Harden on the courts in the video below)

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Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea