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The American basketball legend is Singapore for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2024 weekend
Who’s the real King of Crossover in basketball? Tim Hardaway & Allen Iverson are probably the two most prominent names to come up in this age-old debate. But for Hardaway, in his unbiased opinion, the answer is obvious.
The 2000 Sydney Olympics Gold Medalist, who was recently appointed as FIBA ICC 2024 ambassador is in town for the very first-time.
The OG Crossover King
Despite retiring more than 21 years ago in 2003, his signature UTEP Two-Step and Killer Crossovers are still very much talked about and executed in today’s game.
“It feels good.. I’ll see some guys doing my move. James Harden does it. He goes from right to left because he is left-handed. He goes, he always gets open, he always gets to the rim.”
However, on the topic of crossovers, it is difficult not to draw comparison with another American Legend – Allen Iverson.
“People want to think that the Allen Iverson crossover is better than mine, but if his crossover is better than mine, they have to teach his crossover.. People (are) still using my move in the NBA!” Hardaway claims.
One generation to another
His signature crossovers aren’t the only legacy still in the game, his son Tim Hardaway Jr currently plays for the Detroit Pistons.
The 32-year old has lived up to the family’s name, having most recently broke the Dallas Mavericks’ all-time record for 3-pointers (5) in a finals game. The Junior Hardaway also made it to the NCAA final previously, and most notably a NBA Final as well – a feat which his dad was not able to achieve and still regrets to date.
“I’m very proud of him..my son has made it to two games that I always wanted to play” he shared.
But when asked if he think his son would ever better his accomplishments, he laughed off the question and commented that he is ‘not going to ever eclipse my (his) achievement!’.
“He still has a long way to go. I mean, he probably passed me in three-point shooting.. but you know I worked very hard”.
For the Hardaways, it seems that basketball has always been in the family blood.
“I took after my dad. My dad was a playground legend in the city of Chicago. I watched him play, I followed in his footsteps. He never made it to the NBA, but he had aspirations.”
FIBA vs NBA
Having played both FIBA and NBA as a player, the five-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA Team member identified physicality as the key difference between the two formats.
“(In FIBA), when you go through the lane, you gotta run through the lane like a fullback and cover up your stomach and your chest, because everybody’s going to hit you” said the 58 year-old.
“They’re always looking at the referees (in NBA). The referees give them these ticky-tack fouls. So, they’re used to that. But when they get to FIBA, and they get fouled, they think they got fouled, and there’s no foul, they’re upset.”
When quizzed to choose between the two, the former Miami Heat’s man was quick to respond, preferring the FIBA format as it means players ‘have to work more on the game’.
Basketball in the Lion City
The Singapore Indoor Stadium play hosts to the 34th edition of the FIBA ICC, taking place from 12 to 15 September as the Singapore Sports Hub enters the second of it’s three-year partnership.
The legendary point guard will be present for the tournament, alongside a range of community activities happening all around the Singapore Sports Hub.
These includes basketball clinics, 3×3 tournament and also, for the first time, a four-day workshop for youth leaders, nominated by basketball federations across Asia and local coaches.
The programme aims to equip them with strategies to interact with persons with hidden disabilities. These trained individuals will then have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learnt at clinics that include SportCares special needs constituents, where Hardaway and another legend in the game – Stephon Marbury, the ambassador of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup will be a part of.
Limited tickets are still available at Sistic.com for the last two days as the competition heats up between all 6 teams from the 6 different continents.
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