Interview: Tim Hardaway Jr. About Reaching The NBA Finals & Having A Hall Of Famer As Dad

By making the 2024 NBA Finals, Tim Hardaway Jr, not only realized a dream of his own, but also one his father, Tim Hardaway Sr., who’s proudly watching from the sidelines, was never able to accomplish himself.

Hardaway Jr., born in Miami in 1992, comes from a basketball family, and followed his father’s footsteps, attending the University of Michigan, before being drafted by the New York Knicks with the 24th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft Class.

Hardaway Sr. was the 14th overall pick of the 1989 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, was a five-time All-Star, won a gold medal at the Olympics in Sydney 2000 and is a Hall of Famer 2022. He retired from the NBA after the 2002/03 season. 

Prior to Game 3, I had the chance to talk to Tim (Jr.) about, what it means to be in the NBA Finals and to have a Hall of Fame-father who is able to guide one through the highs and the lows, and ups and downs of being a professional basketball player:

Aurelia Rieke:
Hi Tim, thank you for your time. First of all, how are you and how does it feel to have reached the Finals?

Tim Hardaway Jr.:
I’m good thank you. Being a part of that, it feels amazing. I mean, you don’t really get opportunities like this often. So just being able to be here with the guys and being supportive as much I can be, it’s surreal. I’m very excited.

Aurelia:
How hard is it, watching your team, knowing what you’re capable of, being a great shooter, but not getting as many minutes as you maybe would like to have? How do you deal with that?

Tim:
All I can do is just do my best to be a professional. I know what I can bring to the table. I know my beliefs. At the same time It’s the coach’s decision. All I can do is, be ready be prepared, stay in shape, work on my game each and every day and I’m not gonna stop shooting.

Aurelia:
Do you think it has an impact, when it comes to conditioning, that most of you guys, never really had a long playoff run, like seeing some getting tired out there because you’re not used to this?

Tim:
Yeah, I mean, it starts with the offseason. I’m pretty sure when the guys are done, they’re working out right now.
They’re probably even working out harder than, when they’re playing in the finals. Stay in shape, wake up early, eat the right food, trying to get stronger, work on their game. So, I don’t think that has an impact. I mean, for the most part it will come to that, the guys being tired from the mental standpoint just because it’s so long.

There are ups and downs throughout the whole entire playoffs. Trying to overcome that, it’s tough. But I think everybody in this locker room has done a major job just staying behind one another and making sure that if anyone’s down, we’re right there to pick them up.

Aurelia:
When you look back at the career of your father… what kind of role does he play in your life and what advice is he giving you, on how you deal with all that right now?

Tim:
For the most part, he’s come every game, right now. So just being able to have him here, having a person that you can call. I’m one of the lucky ones. I mean, I have a Hall of Famer in my phone, one dial away. He picks up every single time. So anytime I have questions or concerns or if he sees anything that he can help or he could do to help make my job easier. Since he’s been through it and lived it. I’m very, very fortunate, very thankful to have a father that’s been in the same position.

Aurelia:
In 2019 when you came to the Mavericks, going back there, the moment when you knew you becoming a part of this franchise. Dirk Nowitzki was just about to enter his last season. Did you ever think, you could make the Finals with the Mavs? And what were your thoughts about the trade back then?

Tim:
The trade was Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke and me. We knew Luka was here, he was a rookie. Dirk was ending his career, so that was more of a farewell, a tour for Dirk for his last season. Just being able to embrace that, live it, it was great. Then moving forward, KP got traded a couple years after. There’re also always talks about me leaving. It was like ups and downs, around that time. But us making the playoffs and then having an opportunity to make the Finals two years ago against the Golden State Warriors. We knew we were close. Being here, all the work is paying off. Being a part of a team that went to the finals, it says a lot about the team itself. So like I said, very happy ,very happy, very excited. Just to be here and live through it all and to get to this point.

Aurelia:
How was the relationship between you and Dirk back then? Do you find time to talk to each other sometimes?

Tim:
I talked to Dirk a little bit here and there. I met Dirk when I was in fourth grade when my dad used to play here back in 2000. Dirk knew me since I was a kid. We had a conversation at his last game. I saw his championship ring on his finger and just thought, what a great legacy he left, one of the few European players that time. Now passing the torch to Luka. Just being able to be around him and see him was great. There’s a lot of joy in that guy.

Aurelia:
That’s so true. Thank you for sharing this.