NBA legend Tim Hardaway was and remains one of the best trash-talkers in league history.
Hardaway was so good at it because he could back it up. He was one of the first players to make the crossover dribble popular. It helped him build a Hall of Fame career, playing his best years with the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.
Hardaway did it with brash regardless of the game's outcome, which is why he has issues with Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. During a podcast appearance on the Bleav Network, Hardaway was disappointed with Haliburton picking and choosing when to talk trash.
"This is my thing with Haliburton," Hardaway said. "I'm a (bleep) talking person on the court. I talk (bleep) whether I'm losing or whether I'm winning. You just can't talk smack when you are winning."
Hardaway pointed out the Pacers had some of the best trash-talkers of all-time. Chuck Person and Reggie Miller were among the biggest talkers. And then Larry Bird, considered the best at it, became the coach in the late 1990s.
Hardaway said the difference was all of them never hid from the moment after a loss. After talking big in the postgame of the Game 1 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, Haliburton was silent following the loss in Game 2.
"That's when guys don't like you," Hardaway said of Haliburton. "We gonna get you next time. Y'all got us this time but we gonna get you next time. You better be ready. When you lose, don't clam up."
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