This past weekend, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame had the honor of welcoming the inductees of the class of 2022. Sixteen incredible individuals were chosen to be inducted into basketball immortality. Of all the inductees, two that were among that most popular, and certainly made the headlines, were Tim Hardaway And Manu Ginobili. These two players had both made profound impacts on the game of Basketball, introducing their own moves and style to the game that players across the globe still emulate to this day.
Tim Hardaway is one of the early innovators of the crossover, a move that has been seen in most basketball games around the world. As a kid from Chicago, Tim Hardaway idolized Isiah Thomas who hailed from the same city. A small, flashy point guard just like Tim himself would later develop into. Tim Hardaway would be selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1989 NBA draft. He immediately began making an impact. Fans were delighted to watch his repertoire of moves and gutsy, gritty attitude. Tim, Paired with fellow Hall of Famers Rich Richmond and Chris Mullin, would bring the Warriors into relevancy forming the fun trio of Run TMC. The Warriors became one of the most electrifying teams of the early 90s, with a quick offense and sharpshooting that were ahead of its time. In 1996, Hardaway would join the young and new franchise the Miami Heat, turning them into a contender alongside Hall of Famer, Alonzo Mourning. Hardaway will now be joining his teammates and getting his long overdue enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.
While Tim was lighting up the league, a kid from Argentina was starting to put the pieces together to blossom into one of the league’s fiercest competitors. Manu Ginobili had been sensational even before the NBA, having been a star in the Italian league and the Euro league. Manu was a second round pick in the 1999 NBA draft to the San Antonio Spurs. Ginobili would create a legendary career for himself in the NBA, joining Tim Duncan and Tony Parker to create one of the most dominant trios in NBA history. Ginobili is credited as being an innovator to the game by being a pioneer of introducing the European style of play to the NBA. Ginobili’s eurostep is still regarded as a crafty move that many pro and amatuer players have emulated. During his time with the Spurs, he won 4 NBA championships, was selected to 2 All-Star teams, and took home the 2008 NBA sixth man of the year award. Highly regarded as an incredible team player, Ginobili has inspired players from all over to develop their game and learn how to play the game with competitive fire and class.
Both of these players have left fans with lasting memories of their excellence on the Basketball Court. Being recognized for their contribution to the game in the Hall of Fame will ensure those memories are not soon forgotten.