Tim Hardaway

In the Beginning

Tim Hardaway, one of the all-time Greats in professional basketball, was born on September 1, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois. Hardaway was raised in Chicago, graduating from high school there, and then moved to El Paso, Texas to attend the University of Texas at El Paso, where he played college ball for a well-known coach, Don Haskins. Thus began a successful college basketball career, followed by a widely followed professional ball career.

Career Accomplishments

His college career landed his team 2 appearances in the NCAA tournament, and he was named MVP in El Paso's Sun Bowl Invitation Tournament two years in a row. Before moving on to the professional ball, Hardaway was named the best college player in the nation six feet tall and won the Frances Naismith Award. He had a long professional career with the NBA, playing first for the Golden State Warriors. Within two years, Hardaway had led his team to the playoffs but ultimately couldn't defeat the Lakers in the end. Hardaway made the NBA All-Star team three years in a row while playing as a Warrior. He was traded to the Miami Heat in 1995, where he continued his strong performance. He leads the team to the playoffs in year one, but an early elimination kept them from proceeding in the tournament. The next year was one of Hardaway's best, as he was voted fourth for NBA Most Valuable Player Award and lead his team to a franchise-record number of wins (61). They proceeded much further in the playoffs but ultimately slipped to the Chicago Bulls in the final rounds. In the year 2000, Hardaway won a gold medal playing for the USA Men's Basketball Team in the Olympics. This was an ultimate peak in his career, and the following seasons would be filled with trades to several other teams, and bench time. Hardaway eventually retired and became a basketball analyst for ESPN. As of 2014, Hardaway announced his role as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.

Most Known For

Hardaway is most known for his success as a “little” guy in the big league. Standing at just 6 feet tall, he's known as one of the greatest guards to ever play in the NBA. He's very well known for his crossover dribble, which television and sports commentators named the “UTEP two-step” during his college career at UTEP. He's also well known for Olympic Performance, which won him a Gold Medal in Men's Basketball for the USA.         

Where Is He Now

Hardaway currently lives in Miami and serves as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons. He's seen frequently on the sidelines of his son's games, as well.