The Miami Heat landed the biggest fish of them all this summer by successfully trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they also made another significant acquisition, as they signed veteran sniper Tim Hardaway Jr.
This is a homecoming of sorts for Hardaway, whose father, Tim Hardaway Sr., played for the Heat in the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, the younger Hardaway used to be around the team.
On Thursday, Hardaway Jr. was officially introduced by the Heat, and he’ll now also be wearing the No. 10 Miami jersey. The same number his dad used to don in South Beach.
It has been a long journey for the former Michigan Wolverines star before he finally followed in his dad’s footsteps and became a Heat player.
“I’ve been praying for this day,” Hardaway said in his Miami introductory press conference, via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
“I’ve always wanted this day to come, ever since I was a kid.”
Interestingly enough, this is not the first time that Hardaway Jr. will be playing for an NBA team that Hardaway Sr. also suited up for. Before joining the Heat, Hardaway Jr. had a stop with the Denver Nuggets and had played six-plus seasons for the Dallas Mavericks. Hardaway Sr. played for a total of 68 teams for those teams.
So far in his NBA career, Hardaway Jr. has averaged 13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while shooting 36.5% from deep.
