Tim Hardaway
Five-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer known for his signature 'UTEP two-step' crossover.
Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. (born September 1, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. Hardaway played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers. He was a five-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA Team member. Hardaway won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He was known for his crossover dribble which was dubbed the "UTEP two-step" by television analysts. In 2022 Hardaway was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the father of NBA player Tim Hardaway Jr.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Point Guard
- Affiliation
- Never played for Washington franchise
- Status
- Retired; Hall of Famer
- Key achievement
- NBA All-Star Selections (Career)
- Signature move
- The 'Crossover' dribble
Lore & Background
Hardaway was born in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Carver Area High School in 1985. On August 29, 2022, his jersey was retired by Carver Area. He played college basketball for the UTEP Miners under head coach Don Haskins. Hardaway was twice named MVP of El Paso's Sun Bowl Invitational Tournament, in 1987 and 1988. He played on teams that went to the NCAA Tournaments from 1986 to 1989. He won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1989 as the best college player in the nation six feet tall or under. While playing for the Miners, Hardaway developed his crossover dribble move that was called the "UTEP two-step". He was selected as the 14th overall pick of the 1989 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin formed a trio known as Run TMC. As a Warrior, Hardaway made the NBA All-Star Game three straight years. He suffered a torn ligament in his left knee that kept him out of the entire 1993–94 season. He reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any other NBA player except Oscar Robertson. Hardaway played for the Warriors until the middle of 1995–96 season when he was traded to the Miami Heat. Following the mid-season trade to Miami, Hardaway started 28 games to finish the season. The following season he finished 4th in voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, was selected to the All-NBA First Team as Miami won a franchise record 61 wins. He also played in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. In the 1997–98 season, Hardaway was selected to play in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. That summer, Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning won a gold medal playing for the U.S.A. men's basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Following the 2000–01 season, Hardaway was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on August 22, 2001. He was at one time Miami's all-time leader in assists (2867). With Dallas, he was mainly utilized off the bench. In the middle of the season, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. With the Nuggets he started 14 games. Hardaway was suspended for two games and fined $10,000 by the league when he threw a television monitor onto the court after being ejected in the March 15 game against Orlando. On March 23, facing the Seattle SuperSonics, Hardaway suffered a broken left foot that knocked him out for the rest of the game and season.
Reader's Guide
Hardaway was the 1989 WAC Player of the Year. He recorded 5,000 points and 2,500 assists, second fastest in NBA history after Oscar Robertson. Hardaway accomplished it in 262 games; Robertson took only 247. He held the record for most assists in Miami Heat franchise history with 1,947, until his total was surpassed by Dwyane Wade on January 16, 2010. Hardaway shares the record for second most steals in an NBA playoffs game, with 8 in Game 2 of the 1991 Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers and in Game 4 of the 1992 Western Conference First Round against the Seattle SuperSonics. In 1991–92, Hardaway became the 7th player in NBA history to average 20 points (23.4 ppg) and 10 assists (10.0 apg) in a season, a feat he accomplished again in 1992–93 (21.5 ppg, 10.6 apg). Hardaway holds the NBA record for the worst single-game shooting performance in NBA history, going 0-for-17 in a 106–102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 27, 1991. Hardaway holds the Miami Heat's all-time record in 3-pointers (the source cuts off, but the entry is based on the source).
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