Isaiah Thomas was widely regarded as the NBA’s best dribbler, as he yo-yoed basketball during his heyday in the 1980s. But even the Detroit Pistons icon learned something new when he saw a high school student from his hometown of Chicago named Tim Hardaway use the crossover dribble for the first time.
Nearly 40 years later, Tim Hardaway Sr. will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday after a remarkable NBA and college career. Point His guard is best known for revolutionizing his move, the “UTEP Two-Step” crossover, which has become a staple on his NBA and basketball courts around the world.
“In Chicago, I was known for dribbling between my legs,” Thomas told Andscape. “And we met when Tim was in high school at a Christmas holiday tournament where he was one of the returning special guests. Not only did Tim have a mid-leg, he added a crossover to it. We all played with crossovers, but we didn’t make them integral to your moves.
“After Tim got hit between his legs, when he came back and gave him the crossover, he had that style and talent. Not only was it difficult to guard, it was a very clean move. He also had the moxie, demeanor and confidence that went with it, he calls the name and crown “King of the Crossovers”. Allen Iverson came on and there was another stutter-step crossover. ”
Hardaway ranks 18th in NBA all-time with 7,095 assists. His 13-year NBA veteran played on five of his NBA All-Star teams and was named to the All-NBA team five times. But Hardaway’s crossovers are his hallmark and will be for years to come.
“People understood my game and what I brought to it,” Hardaway said. “Crossover never fades. People are still trying to do my crossover. When I see them not done it or dribbling out of bounds, I’m Tell them, “You have to work on it.” My legacy is there and people will recognize me for years to come…
“Crossover has had a huge impact on the NBA. It’s an unstoppable move.”
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Chicago was no stranger to Hardaway’s crossover dribble, but the basketball world found out when he played for the University of Texas at El Paso from 1985-1989. They nicknamed it the “Texas Two-Step”.
So what was Hardaway’s motivation for creating the famous crossover?
“If you can do that perfectly, you can go anywhere on the court, shake up opponents and play for your team. Or it was a move I created to create for my teammates.
The most notable part of Hardaway’s NBA career was his first six seasons with the Warriors, where he starred in the famous “Run TMC” trio that included Hall of Famers Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond. Hardaway averaged 19.8 points, 9.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.95 steals in his 422 games with the Warriors. His assists per game are still the best in the franchise. The 6-foot guard has averaged 17.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals in his 867 games with the Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.
A truly nervy Hardaway made it into the Hall of Fame after being inducted no less than five times.
“To tell you the truth, I was terrified to answer the phone,” Hardaway said recently while filming an NBA season preview commercial in Los Angeles. “I’ve been turned down five times so far. I was shaking. But after the third or fourth call, I picked it up. [Hall of Fame official] I called and said, ‘I have received better news than last time.
“I was like, ‘Man, that’s great!’ And then for an hour and a half, I was just crying. My wife, my parents, my kids, my brother. There were tears of joy.”
Warriors star Steph Curry’s father, Dell Curry, played against Hardaway Sr. in the NBA and now faces Hardaway Jr., who plays for the Mavericks. Hardaway Sr.’s dribbling skills inspired the current NBA Finals MVP.
“I always thought it was only a matter of time before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Stephen Curry told Andscape. “There are a lot of players in the league I grew up in who jumped off the screen based on that style. I didn’t really care what their stats were. I was greatly influenced by the fact that I had developed a love for
“He’s high on that list. and he is still recognized.”
New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCallum, who regularly uses the crossover dribble, added: He is one of the original crossover pioneers. he is a true game changer. ”
Jamal Crawford’s Twitter handle is @JCrossoverreminded me of the first time I saw Hardaway unleash his signature moves.
“I remember the first time I saw him hit Byron Scott in the playoffs against the Lakers,” Crawford told Andscape. “It was devastating! He was ingenious and the moves he brought to the game will outlive all of us.”
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Hardaway Sr.’s number 10 jersey has been retired by the Heat and UTEP. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame also puts him in a position to retire the jersey from the Warriors.
“It’s all about being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Let’s get this over with first. So let’s take a look at that.
Years before he became an NBA star, Jason Kidd was privileged to take on Hardaway, Marin and former NBA star Gary Payton as the high school star of Alameda College, California this summer. Dallas, his Mavericks coach, still remembers the challenges of dealing with the Hardaway crossover during his teenage years.
“As a kid, I always knew about crossovers, speed and low dribbling,” said Kidd, who is also a Hall of Famer. “You didn’t want to be on the other side of protecting him. I just wanted to avoid embarrassment…
“So it was a game changer. Everyone always talks about AI when they talk about crossovers. [Iverson]But it all started with Timmy and the crossover he did in Golden State. ”
Like Kidd, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy became familiar with the Hardaway crossover while playing high school and junior college basketball in the Bay Area. The former University of Hawaii star said he worked hard on the crossover’s speed and control because of Hardaway.
Handy described his soon-to-be Hall of Fame crossover as a landmark move that has influenced him and today’s youth.
“‘UTEP Two-Step’ was a revolutionary move,” Handy told Andscape. “It changed the game in a lot of ways, in terms of guards attacking defenders. Tim was the first person to really use the crossover that way, and there was no stopping it.” Whenever I have a signature move named after me, I know it’s a game changer.”
