Tim Hardaway Sr’s Advice for Young Athletes in their 20s
Moneeb Malik, a student and Winter Intern for InTheir20s shares his thoughts on our recent interview with NBA Legend Tim Hardaway Sr.
Quick Background on Tim Hardaway Sr.
Tim Hardaway Sr. is a former professional basketball player who played for five different teams during his tenure in the NBA. Hardaway Sr. was a 5 time All Star and known for his killer crossover, along with the joy he played the game with. He had the honor of going up against many all time greats including Micheal Jordan, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson and other prolific stars. Recently, Landon and Michael had the chance to sit down with Hardaway Sr. to ask about his NBA career and hear his advice for young athletes in their 20’s currently.
Patience
One habit Hardaway Sr. advises younger athletes to develop was patience. Many times, young athletes declare themselves for the draft after 1 or 2 years in college, and ultimately suffer from their decision for the rest of their career. Instead of declaring for the draft after a year, he advises young athletes to continue developing their on-the-court game, while finishing their education. The key of patience does not just apply to student athletes but can be true for anyone.
For the longest time, I had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my career but I stayed patient and kept exploring different career paths rather than making a haste decision and choosing a career that I would not be passionate about. I also learned early that when it comes to investing in the stock market, the biggest difference between someone who makes money versus someone who loses money is how much patience they show while investing.
Self Confidence
Another skill that Hardaway Sr. believes is very important for young people is having self confidence. In the NBA, there are many talented individuals, which means it could take some time before many players get an opportunity to play. People shouldn’t lose confidence in themselves if this happens, because instead they should keep working hard and stay ready for their opportunity to showcase their skills.
During the pandemic, many Gen Z’s lost their jobs and have been in a downward spiral ever since. After listening to this podcast, my recommendation to all these people would be to keep believing in yourself and keep learning new skills that will make you a more attractive candidate to employers. If you do not believe in your talents, then nobody else is going to believe in you. Confidence is the most beautiful thing one can possess. Hardaway Sr. gave Michael and Landon some great advice about having confidence in themselves and to ignore anyone who hates on what they’re trying to accomplish. From the minute Hardaway Sr started playing basketball, he had people telling him he was too small for the NBA, but by believing in himself and his talents, he was able to have an amazing career and accomplish all of his goals.
Save Money and Stay Smart
The last piece of advice Hardaway Sr. gave young athletes was to save money and always think ahead. With any sport, you can have a limited career, which means you should have a plan to save money from the beginning. Over time, we’ve seen so many instances of professional athletes and wealthy entrepreneurs lose money and end up struggling financially for the rest of their lives. Even if you are in the beginning in your 20s, it is never too early to begin saving for retirement. Everyone should start saving early so they can be prepared for a rainy day.
