Tim Hardaway Jr: A Diamond in the Rough

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A diamond in the rough is defined as someone or something that has hidden exceptional characteristics and or future potential, but currently lacks the final touches that would make them (or it) truly stand out from the crowd. Tim Hardaway Jr fits the description. Here is why he is a diamond in the rough.

Tim Hardaway Jr of the New York Knicks is a diamond in the rough of his draft class. Hardaway was pick number 24 in the first round by the Knicks and not much was expected of him by the fans, but it is safe to say that he has surpassed expectations. Hardaway came out of a struggling draft that contains only a few recognition worthy players. Lucky for the New York Knicks Hardaway became a noteworthy player despite his overall pick. With his impeccable season performance he distinguished himself as a top 3 rookie and a top 3 scorer in the draft behind Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo. Although February and March has been less than desirable for the rookie he has shown on many occasions that he can be a bright spot for his team. This season Hardaway is averaging 9.5 points, 0.8 assists, and 1.5 rebounds with a player efficiency rating of 12.11. Although his rebounding and assists can stand to be better he is a hard worker who is likely to improve over the years. If you are a fan of Hardaway and or his team, then you probably like what you see and understand that down the line he will be looked at mostly for scoring purposes like Carmelo Anthony. He has had 5 games with 20 plus points, and was the first to lead his team in scoring (besides Carmelo Anthony) with a career high of 29 points followed by a shooting performance 0f 11 for 17 from the field and and 6 for 12 from the three point line. He also played a spectacular game in the rising stars challenge as he scored a game high 36 points followed by 7-for-16 shooting from three. He is third in scoring beside Michael Carter Williams and Victor Oladipo, but you must take into consideration that he is a bench player averaging minutes that differentiate by double digits and he is not the go to player for his team often giving the ball to the Knicks main option Carmelo Anthony. Overall Hardaway is a solid overall player with exceptional shooting range, scoring ability, and athleticism. The fact that he is an efficient player that can score and move the ball and the fact that his team holds no draft pick for the next three years make him a diamond in the rough.