What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear James Harden? Surely his step-back or that iconic beard. For over a decade, Harden’s facial hair has become as much a part of his brand as his game, and above all, his identity. From overlooked sixth man to MVP, the beard grew with the legend. And let’s be honest: can you even picture Harden without it?

Los Angeles Clippers superstar James Harden has evolved with time, and it’s safe to say that the same has been the case with his iconic beard. Over time, the eleven-time All-Star’s facial hair has grown to earn him the tag ‘The Beard’ by fans and his peers. It’s something that sets Harden apart from the rest of the NBA stars, but that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer, after a shocking image emerged on social media recently. So, has James Harden shaved off his beard?

Did James Harden discard his iconic beard?

If you’re active on social media, there’s a good chance that you have seen pictures of Harden wearing what appears to be a Clippers training kit recently. The issue? While everything else seems normal, it’s the absence of the 35-year-old’s iconic beard that shook the fans. To be honest, anyone would require a double check to recognize Harden if seen without his facial hair. Several media outlets and fan pages have posted that same picture, and it has gained massive traction on social media, especially X.

But before you start believing that ‘The Beard’ has shaved off his beard, hold on. When the EssentiallySports Fact Check team did a quick background search, there was no substantial information to confirm that Harden has done away with his identity. The picture might be AI-generated, with a background that gives an idea of an image captured during a workout session. However, you cannot completely rule out the possibility that James Harden could’ve decided to take such a huge step.

That’s because, when asked about how this entire beard look came about, the veteran guard didn’t have any special reason for it. On the contrary, he said that once his beard grew, he decided to roll with it. “It kind of grew out of hand, and it was just there, in college. Years go by, and it kind of grew longer, and I’m like, ‘Hey, I kind of like this look.'” He told Trey Kerby of The Starters back in 2016. You heard it from the man himself, that there’s no special meaning behind his beard look.

This indicates that if he woke up one day and did not like the look, he could just shave it off. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise if he comes out and reveals that ‘The Beard’ is no more a thing. Apart from not having a real motive behind growing his facial hair, James has previously also attested to the fact that he’d be down to shave it off if the price is right. “Oh yeah, I would cut it. I mean, because it’s going to grow right back. Yeah, $10 million minimum is where I am like, ‘alright,'” he once confirmed. But that’s more on a lighter note, and the Clippers star, if everything stands true, will not wake up to shock the community with such news.

However, it’s safe to say that no one in their right mind would’ve actually paid him that money to shave his beard off. If anything, it shows that even though he doesn’t publicly address it, he has a strong attachment to his beard. So, you can be relaxed knowing that unless something drastic has happened in James Harden’s life, his beard hasn’t gone anywhere. More so, because he has much more important things to focus on, as he and the LA Clippers gear up for a huge season.