Former Miami Heat star Tim Hardaway is considered among the best dribblers in NBA history.
Hardaway is the inventor of the “Killer Crossover,” a move that has led to his induction into the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame. He recently gave his opinion on the best ball-handler in today’s game.
“Nobody has the Tim Hardaway crossover,” said Hardaway, who played six years with the Heat. “I’ll tell you this: There’s a lot of guys out there that can handle that basketball. Kyrie Irving. Steph (Curry), of course. Damian Lillard. And you still got the old guy out there, Chris Paul. It’s a lot of guys that will hurt you and if you’re not ready for it, can break your ankles.”
Irving, Curry, Lillard and Paul are deserving. All have used their ball-handling to create paths to the basket, sending some defenders to the floor along the way.
There are also a few names Hardaway missed. Luka Doncic in Dallas is developing his skills to complement his scoring. Memphis’ Ja Morant has impressed with his ball-handling as well.
Scroll to Continue
Trae Young is another who belongs on the list. While he is more known for his “nutmeg” move, he has crossed over several defenders in his career. James Harden, too, is also a proven ball-handler who can make it tough for any defender in the league.
MORE HEAT-RELATED STORIES
Is Russell Westbrook a good fit for the Heat. CLICK HERE
Jimmy Butler is still considered one of the league’s villains. CLICK HERE
Heat’s NBA 2K23 ratings revealed. CLICK HERE
For a look at some of the latest Heat apparel. CLICK HERE
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson
.