Tim Hardaway Jr. sought out two reporters on the Dallas Mavericks beat prior to Wednesday's must-win game against the Sacramento Kings to refute the scathing comments his father, Tim Hardaway Sr., made about Mavs' superstar guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on FS1's The Carton Show.
K&C reacts to Tim Hardaway Sr.'s comments - listen starting at 13:50
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Hardaway Jr. "requested to speak" to him and Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News to counteract what his father said on national TV.
"I didn't wake up this morning thinking that I had to focus in on this topic, but it is my dad. I love him dearly. He's been in this league for so many years now, so just for him to say that, I disagree with it 1000%. I've come out numerous times and told you all how much leadership Luka has shown throughout my whole entire time here in Dallas. He shows it on and off the floor, and a lot of the situations that we've been in as a team, we wouldn't be in without him. So let's just set that straight.
"And Kyrie has been nothing [other] than a leader since he's been here -- making sure that everybody in our group, in the player-only [chat] just to make sure everybody's good, everybody's holding together, staying strong. Nothing but leadership there. So it's just hard, just to deal with that. I love those guys. I love my teammates. I loved every teammate that I've ever been a part of and been with, so just to be focusing in on this instead of the game, it's disappointing that I have to come out here and say this. I love him to death. Like I said, my dad made a mistake. It's his opinion, not mine. We're two different human beings."
The Mavericks have struggled since acquiring Kyrie Irving in a February trade and must win their final three games and get help from other teams to get the 10th and final spot in the play-in tournament. And according to Hardaway Sr., the team's problems start with the lack of leadership from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
“Luka is not a leader. Kyrie is not a leader. Jalen Brunson was a leader,” Hardaway Sr. said. “Those two guys are not leaders. They’re complementary, dominant basketball players, great scorers.”
Hardaway Sr. also called Doncic "a crybaby" because of his constant complaining to officials during games.
Hardaway Jr. told Caplan that he addressed the comments in the Mavericks' players-only group chat and also visited with Doncic, Irving and general manager Nico Harrison in person.
He added that he called his father to "give him a little piece of my own [mind], saying that’s not right.
”I will own up to it and deal with it and take it to the chin and make sure I can set the record straight,” Hardaway Jr. said. “What he said out of his mouth is not me. I’m not my dad. We drew up in two different eras and two different worlds. That’s not me as a person at all.
“I apologize on his behalf and my family’s behalf, don’t want nobody focusing in on that. I’m here to play basketball. I’m here to do my job to the best of my abilities, and that’s what I want to focus on.”
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