Tim Hardaway Jr. Bio
Timothy Duane Hardaway Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently suits up for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association. Born on March 16, 1992, in Alameda, California, he has built a reputation as a reliable perimeter scorer across more than a decade in the league. He is the son of Hall of Fame point guard Tim Hardaway, and he carries that basketball lineage with him every time he steps on the court. Standing 6 feet 5 inches and weighing roughly 205 pounds, he has carved out a role as a sharpshooting wing with several NBA franchises.
Hardaway played college basketball at the University of Michigan, where he emerged as one of the top shooting guards in the Big Ten Conference before declaring for the 2013 NBA draft. The New York Knicks selected him with the 24th overall pick, beginning a professional journey that has included stops in Atlanta, a return to New York, a long tenure in Dallas, a brief chapter in Detroit, and his current role in Denver.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Duane Hardaway Jr. was born on March 16, 1992, in Alameda, California, while his father was a member of the Golden State Warriors. His parents are Yolanda Hardaway and Tim Hardaway, the former NBA All-Star point guard who later earned enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Growing up in a basketball household gave Hardaway Jr. an early understanding of the game’s demands, as his father served both as parent and second coach during his formative years.
Hardaway graduated from Miami Palmetto High School in the Pinecrest neighborhood of Miami-Dade County, Florida. As a freshman, he played high school football for a year before focusing solely on basketball. During his 2009-10 senior season, he averaged 31.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, demonstrating the scoring touch that would later define his professional career. He also played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the South Florida Heat and Chicago’s Mac Irvin Fire, teaming with future NBA players Meyers Leonard and Jereme Richmond.
Path to Professional Basketball
The University of Michigan was the first college program to recruit Hardaway, communicating by mail during his sophomore year of high school. Head coach John Beilein later invited him on an unofficial visit to watch Michigan upset No. 4 Duke on December 6, a turning point that helped cement his commitment. He accepted Michigan’s offer after attending Beilein’s Elite Camp, despite entering his senior season unranked in the Rivals.com Top-150.
As a freshman during the 2010-11 season, Hardaway earned four Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week awards and set the Michigan freshman record for single-season three-point shots made. He was a unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman team selection and a 2011 Collegeinsider.com Freshmen All-America pick. He then represented Team USA at the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Latvia, where he credits assistant coach Tom Thibodeau with sharpening his defensive approach.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Career
Michigan Wolverines (2010-2013)
Hardaway’s three seasons at Michigan produced steady individual growth and team success. As a sophomore during the 2011-12 campaign, he earned All-Big Ten third team recognition and helped the program earn a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship. His junior year represented his most complete college season, as he and point guard Trey Burke were widely regarded as the best backcourt in college basketball by outlets such as FOX Sports and ESPN.
During the 2012-13 season, Hardaway was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and second team by the media, while also earning NIT Season Tip-Off MVP honors. Michigan reached the national championship game before falling to Louisville 82-76, with Hardaway contributing 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the final. He declared for the 2013 NBA draft on April 17, signing with agent Mark Bartelstein and earning an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine.
New York Knicks (2013-2015)
The New York Knicks selected Hardaway with the 24th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, joining his father as a first-round selection. He signed a four-year, $6.1 million contract and made his regular-season debut on October 30, 2013, against the Milwaukee Bucks. His rookie season featured a career-high 29 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers and a selection to the NBA Rising Stars Challenge during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game weekend.
Hardaway finished fifth in NBA Rookie of the Year voting and earned first-team NBA All-Rookie Team honors. He followed that with a strong 2014 NBA Summer League, averaging 22.8 points across five games to earn All-Summer League second team recognition. His second Knicks season was cut short by a wrist injury in March 2015, though he returned to post 25 points in the regular-season finale against Detroit.
Atlanta Hawks (2015-2017)
On June 25, 2015, Hardaway was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to Jerian Grant. He did not debut with the Hawks until November 24 against the Boston Celtics, and he spent time with the Canton Charge and Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League. His first Hawks start came on March 17, 2016, against the Denver Nuggets, when he posted 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 29 minutes.
During the 2016-17 season, Hardaway produced several career milestones. He matched his career high with 29 points against the San Antonio Spurs on January 1, 2017, and later scored a career-high 33 points against the Houston Rockets on February 2, with 23 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. He capped the run with a 36-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 3, 2017, making five of nine three-pointers.
Return to New York (2017-2019)
Following the 2016-17 season, Hardaway signed a four-year, $71 million offer sheet with the Knicks, which Atlanta declined to match. He posted his first NBA career double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds against the Orlando Magic on November 8, 2017, and later scored a then-career-high 38 points in a victory over the Toronto Raptors on November 22. A left leg stress injury cost him 20 games during the winter.
Hardaway opened the 2018-19 season with 31 points against the Atlanta Hawks on October 17, helping the Knicks set a franchise record with a 49-point second quarter. He later scored 39 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 23, 2018, and added a 37-point outing against the Indiana Pacers on October 31, 2018, setting career highs with 7 three-pointers and 10 made field goals in that contest.
Dallas Mavericks (2019-2024)
On January 31, 2019, Hardaway was traded, along with Trey Burke, Courtney Lee, and Kristaps Porzingis, to the Dallas Mavericks. After averaging 15.5 points in 19 games, a lower leg stress fracture ended his season early. He returned to average a career-high 204 three-pointers made in 2019-20, good for seventh in the NBA, and later hit a career-high 9 three-pointers in a single game against the Sacramento Kings on December 8, 2019.
Hardaway posted a career-high 42 points against the Detroit Pistons on April 30, 2021, and tied the Mavericks’ single-game three-point record with 10 makes against the Miami Heat on May 4, 2021. He re-signed with Dallas on a four-year, $75 million contract in August 2021 and became the first Maverick with multiple 200-plus three-point seasons. He reached the 2024 NBA Finals with Dallas, setting a Mavericks franchise record with 5 three-pointers in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, all in the fourth quarter.
Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets (2024-Present)
On July 6, 2024, Hardaway was traded, alongside three future second-round picks, to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Quentin Grimes. He set a career playoff best with 7 three-pointers made in a 118-116 loss to the Knicks during the 2025 NBA playoffs, tying Chauncey Billups’ 2003 mark for most in a single playoff game in Pistons history. The effort helped Detroit in its first home playoff game in six years.
On July 10, 2025, Hardaway signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Denver Nuggets. His current deal is scheduled to run through the end of the 2025-26 NBA season, marking his sixth professional stop and adding a veteran shooter to a contending Denver roster.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hardaway holds several Mavericks three-point shooting records, including the franchise mark for most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals game, and the Pistons’ single-playoff game three-point record. He became the first Maverick with back-to-back 200-plus three-point seasons, and the only player in franchise history with multiple 200-plus three-point campaigns. He was also selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2014.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Hardaway is the son of Yolanda Hardaway and Tim Hardaway, the former Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat All-Star point guard who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His father’s NBA journey shaped his understanding of professional basketball from an early age, and the two share the distinction of being first-round draft picks. He has a sister named Nia.
Personal Life
During the 2012-13 college season, Hardaway honored deceased friends on his left shoe and deceased family members on his right shoe, a personal tribute he carried throughout that campaign. He maintains a presence on social media and continues to be recognized for his connection to one of basketball’s notable family legacies.
2025 Season Performance
Hardaway opened the 2025 calendar year with the Detroit Pistons before being part of a roster shift during the summer. In the 2025 NBA playoffs, he tied Chauncey Billups’ 2003 mark with 7 three-pointers made in a single playoff game against the New York Knicks, including his first 6 attempts from beyond the arc. His performance provided a rare offensive spark during Detroit’s first home playoff game in six years.
On July 10, 2025, Hardaway signed a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets, joining a contending roster built around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. His veteran shooting and playoff experience offer the Nuggets another perimeter option off the bench. He is scheduled to remain under contract through the conclusion of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Hardaway’s role in Denver centers on spacing the floor and providing secondary scoring alongside the Nuggets’ core. With a track record of high-volume three-point production and postseason reliability, he is positioned to contribute as a rotational wing during Denver’s pursuit of another deep playoff run in 2025 and beyond.