# Tim Hardaway > American basketball player **Wikidata**: [Q352319](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352319) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hardaway) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tim-hardaway ## Summary Tim Hardaway, legally known as Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr., is an American former professional basketball player and basketball coach. Born on September 1, 1966, he is widely recognized for his college career at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and a professional playing career that spanned from 1989 to 2003. A 183 cm, 79 kg point guard nicknamed "Tim Bug," "The Bug," and the "UTEP Two-step," Hardaway earned multiple All-NBA Team selections and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team during his distinguished career. ## Biography - **Born:** September 1, 1966 - **Nationality:** United States (American) - **Education:** University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) — a public research university in El Paso, Texas, founded in 1914 - **Known for:** Professional basketball career as a player (1989–2003) and later as a basketball coach; signature crossover dribble known as the "UTEP Two-step" - **Employer(s):** Not specified in source material - **Field(s):** Professional basketball (player and coach) - **Height:** 183 cm - **Weight:** 79 kg - **Aliases:** Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr., Tim Bug, The Bug, UTEP Two-step ## Contributions Tim Hardaway contributed to the sport of basketball both as a player and a coach over a career lasting from 1989 to 2003. His on-court contributions include being selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, recognizing his elite performance in his debut season. He was further honored with five All-NBA Team selections, an award established in 1947 by the National Basketball Association in the United States to recognize the league's top players at each position. Hardaway is credited with popularizing a devastating crossover dribble move so distinctive it earned him the alias "UTEP Two-step," a direct reference to his collegiate roots at the University of Texas at El Paso. After retiring from professional play in 2003, Hardaway transitioned into coaching, applying his expertise to direct and strategize the behavior of basketball teams and players. ## FAQs **What nicknames is Tim Hardaway known by?** Tim Hardaway is known by several aliases: "Tim Bug," "The Bug," and the "UTEP Two-step." The latter references both his college, the University of Texas at El Paso, and his signature crossover dribble move. **Where did Tim Hardaway attend college?** Hardaway attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), a public research university located in El Paso, Texas, established in 1914. The institution employs approximately 2,964 staff members. **How long did Tim Hardaway's professional basketball career last?** His active playing career spanned from 1989 to 2003, a 14-year period, after which he transitioned into coaching. **What awards did Tim Hardaway receive during his career?** Hardaway was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team and received five All-NBA Team selections, one of the National Basketball Association's highest individual honors, recognizing the top players in the league each season. **What is Tim Hardaway's physical profile?** He stands at 183 centimeters tall and weighed approximately 79 kilograms during his playing career. ## Why They Matter Tim Hardaway's significance in basketball extends beyond his statistical achievements. His five All-NBA Team selections place him among an elite tier of players recognized as the best at their positions across multiple seasons. The "UTEP Two-step" — his signature crossover dribble — became one of the most influential and emulated moves in basketball, changing how guards approached ball-handling and creating a legacy that influenced generations of players who followed. By earning NBA All-Rookie Team honors, he established himself immediately as aimpact player, validating his transition from college standout at UTEP to the professional level. His dual career as both player and coach reflects a comprehensive understanding of the game from both execution and strategic perspectives. Hardaway's journey from a University of Texas at El Paso standout to a multi-time All-NBA honoree represents one of the notable success stories in professional basketball during the 1990s and early 2000s. ## Notable For - **Five-Time All-NBA Team Selection:** Recognized among the top players in the National Basketball Association on five separate occasions, an honor established in 1947. - **NBA All-Rookie Team:** Honored for outstanding performance in his debut professional season. - **The "UTEP Two-step":** Originated and popularized a signature crossover dribble move that became iconic in basketball, named after his alma mater, the University of Texas at El Paso. - **Dual Career as Player and Coach:** Transitioned from a 14-year playing career (1989–2003) into basketball coaching, contributing to the sport in both on-court and strategic roles. - **University of Texas at El Paso Legacy:** Stands as one of the most notable athletes to emerge from UTEP, a public research university founded in 1914 in El Paso, Texas. - **Nicknames "Tim Bug" and "The Bug":** Widely recognized aliases that became part of his identity throughout his basketball career. - **Multiple Sports Database Recognition:** Cataloged across numerous authoritative sports databases and registries, reflecting his broad recognition within the professional sports community. ## Body ### Early Life and Education Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. was born on September 1, 1966, in the United States. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), a public research university in El Paso, Texas, which was established in 1914 and employs approximately 2,964 staff members. His collegiate career at UTEP would prove formative, earning him the enduring alias "UTEP Two-step" — a reference both to his college and to the devastating crossover dribble move he developed and perfected during this period. ### Professional Playing Career Hardaway's professional basketball playing career began in 1989 and concluded in 2003, spanning 14 seasons. Standing at 183 centimeters and weighing approximately 79 kilograms, he competed as a point guard. His rookie season was distinguished by selection to the NBA All-Rookie Team, an award recognizing the most outstanding first-year players in the league. Over the course of his career, Hardaway accumulated five All-NBA Team selections — one of the National Basketball Association's highest individual honors, originated in 1947 to recognize the league's premier players at each position. These five selections underscore his sustained excellence and status as one of the elite players of his era. ### Signature Move: The UTEP Two-step Among Hardaway's most enduring contributions to basketball is his signature crossover dribble, widely known as the "UTEP Two-step." This move, which became one of his primary aliases, was so effective and distinctive that it influenced an entire generation of point guards. The crossover involved a rapid, low-to-the-ground ball-handling technique that could break down even the most disciplined defenders. Its association with UTEP reflects the collegiate roots where Hardaway first developed and refined the technique before unleashing it on the professional stage. ### Transition to Coaching Following the conclusion of his playing career in 2003, Hardaway transitioned into basketball coaching. In this capacity, he took on the role of directing and strategizing the behavior of basketball teams and players, applying the knowledge and experience gained over his 14-year professional playing career to develop and guide others in the sport. ### Recognition and Records Throughout and beyond his career, Hardaway has been cataloged in an extensive array of sports databases and registries, reflecting the breadth of his recognition. His identifiers span numerous systems, including VIAF (26383123), Library of Congress (n98082826), IMDb (nm0362045), and a wide range of sports-specific databases such as Basketball Reference (h/hardati01), ESPN (301), and the NBA's own records (896). He is also listed under Freebase (/m/02wkm0) and numerous other digital identifier systems. His Wikipedia entry exists across approximately 30 language editions, indicating broad international recognition. ### Personal Identifiers and Aliases Hardaway is known by multiple names and aliases: his legal name, Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr.; his common moniker, Tim Hardaway; and nicknames including "Tim Bug," "The Bug," and "UTEP Two-step." His nationality is American, and he is classified as a human instance within knowledge bases, associated with the occupations of basketball player and basketball coach. His educational affiliation is documented with the University of Texas at El Paso. ### Legacy Tim Hardaway's legacy in professional basketball is defined by his five All-NBA Team selections, his NBA All-Rookie Team honor, and most distinctively, the "UTEP Two-step" crossover dribble that bears his college's name. His career arc — from UTEP standout to 14-year NBA veteran to basketball coach — represents a comprehensive engagement with the sport at every level. The persistence of his nicknames and the continued recognition of his signature move attest to a lasting impact on basketball culture and technique that extends well beyond his playing years, which ended in 2003. ## References 1. FIBA database 2. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com 3. RealGM 4. [Source](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5883491/1990_nba_allrookie_team_voting/) 5. [Source](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5865904/1992_allnba_team_voting_maximum/) 6. [Source](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5864818/1993_allnba_team_voting_maximum/) 7. [Source](https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/awards97.txt) 8. [Source](https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/awards98.html) 9. [Source](https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/awards99.html) 10. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology 11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 12. Olympedia 13. Quora