Tim Hardaway Sr. Shares His Thoughts on His Son Tim Hardaway Jr.

How's your day going so far? Happy Monday.

Hey, happy Monday to you too. It's beautiful. I mean, you know, it's another day in Vegas, hot.

Oh my gosh, I bet. How hot is it?

109.

Nope. I'm out. Not for me. Oh my gosh. Does it heat bother you like that?

You know what? I'm I I lived in Miami for 20 years. And but it's different type of heat. Here is like a sauna heat, dry heat. Uh Miami is all uh humidity heat, sweaty, bugs and all that type of stuff. I mean, once you get to walking out here, you you get used to it but in Miami is it just swallows you up. The humidity just swallows you up. It gets really, really hot each step you take and you just sweat and sweat and sweat. So, I mean, either or is is cool but it's just it's hot. It's it's it's definitely hot.

Yeah. How long have you been there and how much longer do you have there?

Um I had I'm leaving on Wednesday because I have to go and do something with my daughter orientation in college. Oh my gosh. So yeah, she's going to Georgia State so we have to go to orientation. I was, you know, happy to be here but unable to stay the duration of everything. And I'm sure you know about obviously the NBA bubble that's going on right now. My son is in it.

I was going to say, what have you talked to him? What is he saying about it?

I said, I talked to him all the time. He's excited about it. He um he loves it. He um he you know, it it what is what it is. I mean, there's no way around it. You have to the accommodations are not like everybody wanted it to be but they're making it as safe as possible and I think um that you know, you got you some things you just have to deal with. I mean, you know, they a lot of these guys they grew up this type of way in the bubble and then and then now they're making so much millions of dollars and they've been accustomed to this lifestyle and everything. Now they got to go back to what they would come from and how they were living and most of them are babies. I mean, come on, man. I mean, the NBA is doing everything that they can do to make it safe for you. They're doing everything that they can to make sure that you know, this goes off with no hiccups and and and and you all get to play and have fun and get to um, you know, uh talk what you need to talk about. The social injustice.

And when he's face timing you like what tip like what time of day is he face timing you or like when you talk, like how does his day usually go?

He face times us or he talks to us at anytime after practice. Um he talks to us or after he start winding down when he's in his room and he's not doing anything like about 10, 10:30 around that time. We'll talk to him for about an hour, hour and a half and just talk about his day, talk about his two or three days. We don't talk to him every day. You know, just talk to him about his two or three days. We saw what you posted. We saw what you were doing. We we see that you're having fun here and there and you know, what you think about this, what you think about that? You know, we just talk about every day, you know, what not not on the court per se but off the court, you know, uh how much fun he have and you know, what they're doing. Um, you know, stuff like that but it's not really basketball. It's just talking about, you know, the environment and and and Life is crazy. Life is weird. Like just to talk about what's happening is like just insane. I feel like every time you hear something new it's just insane.

Yep. Yep. You had said like these players have millions of dollars of like in contracts and everything. When you found out that your son was going to sign a $75 million contract, what was your what was your initial reaction? Like were you just like, whoa.

No, I was very happy for him. I mean, you know, I knew we we all knew we played back in the nineties that these days were going to come when guys are making 25, 35, 40 million dollars. Um, but we we we were kind of upset that we was we weren't born in the nineties so we can have so we can have, you know, this type of chance to make this type of money but we knew that it was going to come and and we happy for them of guys. We happy for each and every player that's able to make that type of money. It's a uh fortitude and it's, you know, a gratitude to their character and how they go out and and and care about their game and how they go out and work on their game and make sure that they're in tip top shape and and and healthy and and and want to love to play the game of basketball and love to entertain people with the game of basketball. So, when um when I saw him signing, you know, it was more criticism on me saying that that I didn't make that much money.

Right. So you're like I wonder what he felt like for his contract versus his dad's contract.

It was great. It was great. You know, and you and when you have kids, you always want the best for your kids and you want more for your kids than you did for yourself. So, I was very happy for him because he put in the hard work and um and he's deserving of it.

Mhm, definitely. And you are in Vegas for the basketball invitational that's happening.

Yes.

What team or players are you looking forward to like watching?

Well, you know, first of all, I'm just happy to be here uh commentating on basketball again. Um giving my views on on you know, the game and the ins and outs of the game and what the guys are thinking and what they're looking at and what the coaches are are trying to get out of of the players and trying to make them run plays um that fits for their team. Um but you know, I I look at, you know, I know Mario Char Mars. I I I watched him with the Miami Heat. I watched him with Kansas J Hawks, hitting big shots, making big shots. Um playing the way he's he's back to playing, you know, solid basketball after his injury. He's he's 100% healthy now and um he looks like he could help an NBA team play right now. And that's just, you know, that's just my expertise in basketball. Um, you know, but it it's it's a couple of guys out here Dante Green and um another guy that's out here that that's just just doing work. Um Mike Taylor. I mean, Mike Taylor got unbelievable energy. If you look at this guy, I mean, I'm looking at him like, okay, can he play, can he play? He hooping and hollering, he running around all crazy. But he can play. He this guy can actually play. He had he's got unbelievable energy. And I'm like, he he he's out there running around, making plays, make you know, making shots, making jump shots, blocking shots and stealing a basketball. He's all over the place when the other team scored, he's running to half court, getting the ball in, passing the ball in. I said, you know, I'm watching him play. I had to pick up my sports commentary. You know, to to keep up with him. So, you know, that's that was awesome that's exciting and and I and I love to watch people with enthusiasm and and and he go out there and and go out there and play the way he play. So, that's what I love. And but this guy um Dante Green, I mean, they he put on a show yesterday. He he brought his team back and um James White and um David Hawkins, they played they played well. They put their team on their back and and just, you know, and just played very well. So, you know, it's very competitive and I'm going to tell you this, a lot of these guys haven't played in five months.

Yeah, I know. So, so it for them to come in and the score and to be in shape the way they are in and to come in and

It's incredible. And and that's that's the gratitude and that's the fortitude and that's how you commend them these people and these players to come in and just to play like it was they haven't missed a beat. And of course, uh Nate Robinson. Nate can't nobody stop Nate Robinson. He I mean, he could he could take over ball game when he wants to and how he wants to, but it's just up to him. But he got unbelievable unbelievable skills right now. So, uh, uh

That is good though. You you make a really good point about. It's literally been five months like of like real games and they still bring it. Like that's

Yeah, yep. And you know, and and a lot of them they they they have this buy B1 patches on and it helps them with uh with their energy. It helps them with um their nutrition and it helps them with not getting hurt and not getting cramps and not pulling muscles and anything like that. So, the patch really, really helps these guys out in in their workouts up until this tournament. So, I mean, um with the uh B1 um patch company, I mean, they're doing a great job in helping these people stay in shape and helping them stay energized and healthy.

Does it make you want to like watching all of them play jump in and play too?

I'm 50 I'll be 54 years old September 1st. Um

So young. So young.

I'm still young, but you know what? My basketball days are over with. I I I can go out there and shoot horse with them. You know, show them the crossover, it'd be slow.

It'd be slow, but I'll show them the crossover. Uh, but other than that, you know, I I I I like to give pointers out to them. I like to talk to them, but I let my son do the talking now with his play.

I love it. Do you you prefer horse over pig?

Both of them, any one. Any word, honestly. Any word. Any word. I mean, it could be goat. And we'll play. Let's do it, you know, I I mean, I'll be ready from the first shot. So, yes, I I I'm still competitive uh in shoot shooting games and I love to shoot the ball and and um show show kids and show people, you know, how to dribble and the fundamentals of dribbling and showing them, you know, my crossover and how you really do it. But you but you know, practice, you have to practice. It just doesn't come overnight.

Mhm. And what is your favorite thing like aside from the tournament and like just personal, like what's your favorite thing about watching your son play?

Oh man, you know, I like a lot of things, but you know, what I really like is is his confidence but not really his confidence is his leadership out on the floor. You know, even though he's not handling the basketball and not not the point guard, but he he tells guys what it be he knows the offense inside and out. He tells guys what they need to be at on offense. He tells guys what they need to be at on defense. He helps them out in their confidence, Yo man, shoot the basketball. You know, don't don't hesitate. You know, he just he he's just a leader out there on the court and he helps the coach coach on the court when the when, you know, sometimes you you're in different arenas, even in your arena, you're not going to be able to hear the coach. So, he helps to he helps his team understand what they need to run and how they need to run and how they need to play and when they need to pick up their game and take it to another level. So, that's what I like about him, his leadership.

And does he remind you of you in any way?

Um, I grew up differently. You know, I grew up differently. He's 6'6". He's a shooting shooting guard. I'm I'm 5'11", three quarters. I'm a point guard.

Got the height.

Yeah, yeah, he got that's from my wife's side. You know, my wife's side of the family and um, uh, you know, I I was a leader out there on the court. I directed everything like a coach and and um, you know, I see similar things, you know, his eyes, his demeanor, his face, uh, how he acts at times out there on the court. But like I said, we we grew up differently and and the the I think the approach is is starting to be the the same as you know, approaching the game. So, um, he's always been with me. Wherever I went since he since he I could, you know, like six months. He's always been in the crib, uh, uh, in the stroller, I strolled right up to the court. He watched the games and it was unbelievable. I had him there and once we started playing, he'd stop drinking his bottle and he'd watch us play and then as soon as we stopped playing, he'd start crying like, where my bottle at? What what's going on? But as soon as we start playing, he'd just be quiet and that's the way he's always been. He's always been fun of the game.

How much merch would you say basketball merch from his team, your like your past merch that you have around your house?

It's starting to pass. You know, the wife is, you know, the important stuff my important stuff is there but the other stuff, you know, it's starting to pass on and and his stuff is starting to creep in. You know, out with the old, in with the new. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I don't mind, you know, I don't mind. That's my man, you know, I mean his stuff's supposed to come in and and it's his legacy now. You know, I I I built it up. Now it's here to keep it going and and he's doing a fine job at it as, you know, I I I know, that's what I say. He's doing a fine job at it. Yeah.

Well, you're the goat. Thank you so much for talking to us today.

No problem. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. And 55 uh the five tournament. com going and register and download it and fight FITE. Go down and register and um download it to your computer and and watch it. It's some fun games. It's some I mean, these guys are competing. These guys are playing hard and um, you know, it's get get a little physical out there. And I think the referees are doing a great job. We all need a little bit of entertainment right now. Yeah, yeah, you know, we all need a little bit entertainment, little chippy here and there. We all need that.