James Harden is set to make his debut with his sixth NBA team: the Cleveland Cavaliers. Many will wonder how Harden will fit on this team, but among the many questions being asked right now about this union, one has already been answered: Which number he will wear while donning the Cavaliers’ uniform.
Which Number Will James Harden Wear for the Cavaliers?
NBA numerologist Etienne Catalan revealed which number Harden will wear for the Cavaliers. His number choice isn’t too strange, but it also means some other changes are coming.
On X, Catalan wrote, “James Harden… will wear No. 1 for the #Cavaliers. Number last worn by Max Strus in 2025.”
By taking the No. 1, Harden is the 17th player in Cavaliers history to wear it, per Basketball-Reference, following the likes of Kenny Higgs, Darnell Valentine, Terrell Brandon, Wesley Person, Carlos Boozer, Stephen Graham, Daniel Gibson, Jarrett Jack, James Jones, Rodney Hood, Derrick Rose, Nik Stauskas, Dante Exum, Justin Anderson, Rajon Rondo, and of course, Max Strus.
James Harden (@JHarden13) will wear No. 1 for the #Cavaliers. Number last worn by Max Strus in 2025. #NBA pic.twitter.com/pVmwyar45i
— Etienne Catalan (@EtienneCatalan) February 6, 2026
This is also the third straight team for which Harden has worn No. 1, after wearing it with the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers. With his first three teams, he wore the No. 13 for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Brooklyn Nets.
The interesting part is that no one currently on the Cavaliers wears No. 13, so it is a little befuddling that Harden chose No. 1, especially since one of his current teammates previously wore that number. The last player that wore that number was Tristan Thompson, who last played in Cleveland in 2025.
Anyway, Harden taking a teammate’s number could be pretty telling that he intends to stay with the team past this season. Considering the reason for his fallout with the Clippers was over money, the Cavaliers likely didn’t make this trade unless there was an understanding that he plans to stay past this year.
That, or the Cavaliers plan to trade Strus down the line, but there have been no reports about them planning to do that. However, they want to avoid the NBA’s second tax apron, so they might pull the trigger on that down the line.
Also, with Harden wearing No. 1 for the Cavaliers, where does that leave Strus? The other numbers he’s worn in the NBA are 28 during his brief time in Chicago and 31 during his time in Miami.
No. 28 is currently available in Cleveland, while No. 31 is currently worn by Jarrett Allen.
