The inventor of the killer crossover — five-time All-Star whose UTEP Two-Step changed basketball forever.
Timothy Duane Hardaway was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1966. Golden State Warriors selected him 14th overall in the 1989 NBA Draft after four years at the University of Texas at El Paso. His 13-season career produced 17.7 points and 8.2 assists per game along with five All-Star appearances. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team three times. His crossover dribble — a hesitation move followed by a rapid direction change that left defenders stranded — was nicknamed the UTEP Two-Step and became the most imitated dribbling move in basketball history. Along with Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin he formed the Run TMC backcourt at Golden State — one of the most entertaining small lineups of the early 1990s. A torn ACL in 1993 interrupted what was becoming an elite career, but he returned to produce his finest individual seasons with the Miami Heat from 1996 to 2001. He won Olympic gold with the USA at the Sydney 2000 Games. His son Tim Hardaway Jr. also played in the NBA. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. His influence on ball-handling technique is acknowledged by virtually every guard who played after him.
UTEP Two-Step crossover dribble and leading Run TMC trio
How They Played
Explosive scorer with deadly crossover and three-point shooting
Lasting Impact
Revolutionary point guard who changed basketball with his crossover
All-Star 5x
Career Honours
- All-Star 5x
- All-NBA Second Team 3x
- Olympic Gold Medal (2000)