TIM HARDAWAY, JR.
6-6, 205 lbs.
School: Michigan
Class: Junior
Selected with 24th overall pick by New York Knicks
STRENGTHS: Despite being the son of little Tim Hardaway, (who was 5-11), Hardaway Jr. somehow grew to be 6-6. That’s not even fair. Tim Jr. is an athletic, big guard with a hard work ethic and a good basketball IQ. He can be explosive at times, and has a repertoire of moves he uses to get to the basket. He’s got NBA-level quickness for a 2-guard and can get to the rim. He’s also a good finisher around the basket. Hardaway’s biggest weapon might be his jump shot. He can pull it off the dribble with ease, and seems to be more comfortable doing so. Hardaway Jr. is focused and understands what it takes to make it in the NBA. He’s got a great support system around him and will work extremely hard.
WEAKNESSES: Strength. He’s not powerful enough around the basket and can be easy to move. His frame is too thin, and he’ll have to put on some muscle to succeed in the NBA. He doesn’t have great handles like his father and could struggle in isolation or one-on-one sets. Hardaway didn’t improve a whole lot over the course of his career at Michigan, hanging around 14 points per game. That said, he was consistent.
BOTTOM LINE: He’s not a transcendent talent the way his father was, but Hardaway could be a rotation guy in the NBA because of his athleticism and jump shot. He’s a hard-working, high-IQ player with a good head on his shoulders, and that certainly counts for something. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hardaway Jr. balling in the league 10 years from now, but his game does need a lot of work before he can get there. He’ll likely never be a star, but this kid could turn into a solid contributor on a winning team given time.