NBA Hall Of Famer Landed In Golden State Because Coach Lied To Other Teams

Shandel Richardson | 22 Hours Ago

Feb 2, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson coaches against the Houston Rockets in the first quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

NBA Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway found himself sweating more than expected the night of the 1989 draft.

He thought he would go at No. 7 to the Indiana Pacers and surely not drop lower than the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 10.

Instead, Hardaway fell to the Golden State Warriors.

"I'm thinking, I swear to you, I'm going to Minnesota," Hardaway said during an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes. "Bill Musselman, I'm going to Minnesota, going. [They select Pooh Richardson], OK, Dick Versace, I'm going to Indiana. [They select] George McCloud. You gotta be kidding me!"

Hardaway later revealed why he slipped in the draft. He was supposed to go higher after a standout career at UTEP. The reason was Warriors coach Don Nelson sabotaged the draft by fibbing to other teams about Hardaway.

Posted by All the Smoke on Saturday, December 21, 2024

"I get to Golden State after Golden State picked me," Hardaway said. "I come to find out he's been telling everybody that I got bad knees and they shouldn't pick me. He's going to be a bust in three years, four years."

It worked out for Hardaway and the Warriors. He was part of one of the league's most exciting trios when he teamed with Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond. Run TMC, as they were dubbed, only played together for two seasons but are just as beloved in the Bay area as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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