A Bay Area fan favorite during his Warriors tenure, Tim Hardaway was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 14th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. The 6-foot point guard went on to play six seasons for the club, becoming an integral player in Warriors franchise history.
The Warriors legend went scoreless in his NBA debut, a 30-point loss in Phoenix on Nov. 3, 1989, but his rookie season turned around after that, averaging 14.7 points, 8.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 steals to earn first-time All-Rookie honors in 1990. Known for his crossover dribble ("UTEP Two-step"), Hardaway joined forces with former Warrior greats Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond to form Run TMC, an iconic trio that played an up-tempo and high-scoring brand of basketball.
“We knew we were part of something special as we were playing in the great city of Oakland and San Francisco with the Golden State Warriors,” Hardaway shared as he reflected on Run TMC.
“We knew there was a lot of tradition there with Nate Thurmond, Al Attles and Rick Barry. We just wanted to continue with the tradition. We had a lot of fun out there trying to keep the tradition going.”
In six seasons with the Warriors, Hardaway averaged 19.8 points, 9.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 422 games.
Hardaway was a five-time NBA All-Star, making three All-Star appearances while with the Warriors (1991-93) and an additional two appearances with the Miami Heat (1997-98). Over the course of his career, Hardaway played for a total of five NBA teams, playing his most career games with the Warriors.
Hardaway continues to be closely involved with the NBA, joining a Warriors’ Season Ticket Member Virtual Happy Hour, presented by Michelob Ultra and hosted by Kelenna Azubuike just last year.
In a 45-minute-long conversation, held on Facebook, Hardaway discussed his favorite memories of the Run TMC era and what it’s like raising a son who plays in the NBA as well.
Since making his NBA debut in 1991, Hardaway has continued to be a beloved member of the Warriors and NBA family, setting a standard for hustle and heart on and off the court.