James Harden was arrested early Saturday in Houston, Texas, on a misdemeanour charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon and later released from Harris County Jail on bond, court records showed.
The 36-year-old Cleveland Cavaliers guard is scheduled to appear in court on June 22.
Police reports said the incident occurred around 3:40 a.m. in downtown Houston after an officer saw a handgun in the cup holder of Harden’s Mercedes. Harden told the officer the gun belonged to him, according to the reports.
Yahoo Sports, citing Harris County District Clerk records, reported that the charge related to the handgun not being properly holstered. Texas law allows open carry of handguns, but the firearm must remain in a holster.
The Cleveland Cavaliers said they were aware of the case and were gathering more information. The NBA had not issued an official statement at the time of the report.
Read: Knicks Watch Party Registration Opens For NBA Finals Game 5
The arrest comes before Harden’s decision on a $42.3 million player option for next season. Harden had been expected to opt out and seek a multi-year deal with Cleveland.
Harden, the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player and an 11-time All-Star, joined the Cavaliers in a February trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 20.5 points per game for Cleveland.
