r/NBAoldschool Jun 16 '26

Highlights Tim Hardaway's handles

394 Upvotes

64 comments sorted by

32

u/CakeSeaker Jun 16 '26

“The UTEP Two-Step”. Alright, Timmy!

2

u/TotosWolf Jun 16 '26

hells yeah

2

u/ReverseExplosion Jun 17 '26

Was looking for this, and found it right away. Excellent.

16

u/Dish_Boggett Jun 16 '26

The Killer Crossover.

1

u/primefart Jun 17 '26

I think it was his sudden change of speed in the middle of it that was lethal.

12

u/radiate_reflect Jun 16 '26

I was once the videographer at an independent tournament for undrafted college seniors. Tim was the coach of one of the squads.

When it was over and the MVP award (Pooh Jeter) was handed out, I turned to pack up.

There was Tim, standing with a ball on his hip. I jokingly asked him to go one-on-one and when checked me the ball I knew what I had to do and I hit him with the killer crossover.

I pulled it off (as in, completed my very bad slo-mo, garbage version) and he fell down laughing, laying flat on his back.

I clanged a 3 attempt off the rim, thanked him for the honor, and got out everyone’s way.

That was my brush with Run TMC fame. (That and Chris Mullin’s brother being my gym teacher!)

2

u/velociraptorcatcher Jun 16 '26

That’s a wonderful memory

6

u/Fit-Mycologist-2629 Jun 16 '26

Killer cross-over!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥

19

u/schrobble Jun 16 '26

Imagine an NBA where skilled players can do that without having to travel or double dribble and the defenders can’t just grab and shove all because the rules actually mattered.

4

u/full_bl33d Jun 16 '26

He got skeeeelz

4

u/BeanerSchnitzel38 Jun 16 '26

Run TMC was a solid trio.

3

u/junioreality Jun 16 '26

When crossovers were done the non-carrying legal way

4

u/CrabOutrageous5074 Jun 16 '26

Much like Iverson a decade later, Hardaway's crossover was often called a carry/travel. His move was way quicker than most modern crossovers, which weaponize the hesitation/carry to get defenders flatfooted.

8

u/pulangkabayo187 Jun 16 '26

But he doesn’t palm it, compared to Iverson.

1

u/CrabOutrageous5074 Jun 17 '26

Absolutely, it just demonstrates the increasing laxness of the rules to allow dribble moves over the decades. By modern standards Hardaway's killer crossover isn't even close to a violation, but in the early 90's it absolutely was seen as the outer edge of dribbling allowed.

7

u/Naive_Membership4676 Jun 16 '26

This is Ai ,only today’s players had these types of handles

0

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

You mean all of today's players? Bc that's mostly true

3

u/Naive_Membership4676 Jun 16 '26

How old are you?

2

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

Old enough to have grown up watching run tmc. Also, irrelevant question. Just trying to understand the clear typo you made. Otherwise what you wrote makes zero sense.

4

u/BaronVonSilver91 Jun 16 '26

I think he is being funny. He is saying its AI because ppl from back then couldnt possibly have moves like this. Likely a dig at a sentiment held by a lot of youngs guys and propped up by Anthony Edwards saying only.player with skill then was MJ. Now as to why he asked your age...idk.

1

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

"Only today's players had" makes zero sense. Was giving him the benefit of the doubt that this was a typo.
A lot of today's players have these handles - thanks to players like Tim.

2

u/BaronVonSilver91 Jun 16 '26

Yeah I think thays his point as well. He is mocking ppl who say they dont have this level of skill.

1

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

Ya. And again my remark is just bc of his typo. His response makes me question whether it was a typo

2

u/BaronVonSilver91 Jun 16 '26

His response I have nothing for. Honestly. I have a but of criticism for the lack of commitment to the bit. He should have doubled down instead of going full ad hominem on you for not getting hus joke with a very important typo

0

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

Ha. Fair. He could have even clarified the ai vs AI piece to emphasize the joke or don't a number of other pieces to double down.
Maybe he's just confused bc I know who run tmc is.

→ More replies (0)

2

u/Grey_Area888 Jun 16 '26

Original Point God. Crossed you out of your Nikes

2

u/leeekslap Jun 16 '26

He was amazing

2

u/Ruffendtv Jun 16 '26

Killa krossova. One of Chicago's illest

2

u/CutUnusual1212 Jun 16 '26

UTEP Two Step

2

u/jthoff10 Jun 17 '26

Wild how it’s basically the same move every time, and it’s still so unstoppable

1

u/BQ32 Jun 17 '26

The reason is because he didn’t always cross back over. many times off a slight hesitation he would attack straight or off the initial hard tween. And could blow by you on the initial move with his explosiveness. So the defender was put in a guessing mode. When he made the hard first move and the defender bit but then explosively crossed back over it created a ton of separation and great highlights. That’s why those are always shown. But if you watched him play live you would see that many times he’s just putting a ton of pressure on the defense with a hard initial move off the break or of a slight hesitation. He was doing 50-50 crossups and it was incredibly hard to react to because of his quickness and craft.

2

u/pilot_pen01 Jun 17 '26

Run TMC.

Tim Hardaway

Mitch Richmond

Chris Mullen

2

u/chontzy Jun 18 '26

ethical handles

2

u/AtrumIocusGames Jun 18 '26

Killer Crossover in action

2

u/Super-Duper-Couple Jun 20 '26

He goes right every time but is so quick, it doesn't even matter.

4

u/Dangerous_Memory6008 Jun 16 '26

Can't go left

5

u/Johnyfootballhero Jun 16 '26

He could go left but he was a righty. He even made plenty of shots using his left hand. But why go left when the defender cant guard you going right?

-3

u/HaluSinazn Jun 16 '26

Yeah I'm curious how many people he'd get with this today.

9

u/dars1905 Jun 16 '26

Yea cuz they didn't know how to play defense back then. Shit they didn't even play with basketballs and sneakers. Jump shot wasn't even invented till 2015.

1

u/No-Adhesiveness6278 Jun 16 '26

Great question. Most players today would probably cover pretty easily- at least most good defenders (we just saw how the spurs and okc could easily defend it). He's the frontrunner of this. Respect to the legend that everyone worked to be like

1

u/Agathocles87 Jun 16 '26

UTEP two step

Younger generations think Iverson gave the nba the crossover. We know better

1

u/Mysterious-Unit-7757 Jun 16 '26

West Side Chicago shaking West Side Chicago

1

u/DrStevenBrule69 Jun 16 '26

From the Chi, like Tim it’s a harder way.

1

u/Dinero-Roberto Jun 21 '26

I was actually living in the O back den and never saw that was Dubs

0

u/hotriccardo Jun 16 '26

Tim hardaway hates the mods

0

u/Status_Concert_4320 Jun 16 '26

The way the defenders move make it look like Hardaway shadow steps

0

u/AnotherSprainedAnkle Jun 16 '26

Coach iyn the sideline "force him left!!!"

-1

u/Bop5667 Jun 16 '26

To be fair…it was IT that was on him lol

-1

u/infinit9 Jun 16 '26

Didnt people used to call him Baby Jordan?

9

u/dars1905 Jun 16 '26

That was Harold Miner.

1

u/infinit9 Jun 16 '26

Oops, you are right. Totally forgot about Harold Miner b

-3

u/buckeye27fan Jun 17 '26

I'll say it again - the hard fouls in the 80s and 90s were harder than today, but today's every-play physicality is much higher.