“James Harden and Kyrie Irving play with it a little bit too much”: Tim Hardaway chose Kemba Walker as best ball handler over the former Nets duo

Kemba Walker might never cross anybody’s mind if they are thinking of the greatest ball handlers of all time, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, or James Harden might, but not for Tim Hardaway.

If you ask the younger generation of basketball fans who they believe has the best handling skills, most of them might say Kyrie Irving. But if you ask NBA players and fans who have been following the league for more than 30 years or so, they will all point you towards Tim Hardaway.

With his killer crossovers, Tim graced the basketball court throughout the 90s, playing the majority of his 14-year career for the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat. The latter even retired the 5x All-Star’s no.10 jersey after his retirement in 2003.

Back in 2019, the run TMC main man had his own say on who he thinks is the best ball handler in the league. In an interview with Hoopshype back in 2019, he discussed the player whose handles he likes the most among several other subjects.

“If I had to pick somebody right now, I’d pick Kemba Walker. He’s got a handle like I got a handle. He doesn’t exaggerate it, either. He doesn’t shake somebody and then try re-shake them – he just goes right by you. He’s going to do one move and go right by you.”

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Tim Hardaway liked Kemba Walker better than James Harden and Kyrie Irving

Yes, the arguable GOAT ball handler in the game of basketball believed the then Hornets star was better than Irving. Tim gave the same reasons for considering him over the likes of James Harden and Kyrie both of whom not only had some of the best ball handling skills but were also better scorers than Walker.

“James Harden plays with it a little bit too much. Kyrie Irving plays with it a little too much. Instead of making the play and then going straight to the rim, they’re thinking of [the highlight]. But it’s still cool to shake someone one time and then get right to the rim! You don’t need to shake a guy multiple times on one possession. Like I said, that just exerts too much energy.”

It must have sounded absurd at the time, whoever heard Hardaway’s take as Harden was the 2018 MVP and was averaging a career-high 36.1 ppg in the 2018-19 season.

But just looking back at all of The Beard’s performance in all his postseason since he joined Houston, it is apparent that he was exerted for the most part of all the playoffs.

Even some Warriors players including Draymond Green have admitted to having let the 10x All-Star have his way because he will wear out himself in a 7-game series and would never beat a team like the Warriors.

As far as Kyrie’s game is concerned, his off-the-court antics have not allowed him to be as great as he once was with the Cleveland Cavaliers. We will need to see him play for a few full seasons to remember how great he was.

Also read: “Michael Jordan couldn’t score like Iceman!”: Spurs legend George Gervin doesn’t consider 10x scoring champ as good as himself