UP, UP AND HARDAWAY

Tim tells Post why best is yet to come

Guard Tim Hardaway Jr., reacquired by the Knicks after two seasons in Atlanta, takes a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: How much did Phil Jackson’s criticism of you when he traded you to the Hawks in 2015 motivate you? A: It motivated me big-time. Then when I went down to the D-League, it really felt like he was getting the best of me, you know? But I loved it, I loved the challenge and I loved the opportunity that was at stake, you know? You could either fold, or you could get up on your feet and stand for who you are as a person. My whole motto is to prove people wrong. I’ve been doing that ever since I was in high school, and I just live with that, and thrive off of it and keep that saying on my head every single time when I feel like I’m down or we as a team were down. Q: Why do you have to always feel that you have to prove people wrong? About what? A: I had doubters ever since I’ve been playing basketball —“You’ll never be like your father [Tim Hardaway], you’ll never make it to the NBA,” I can go on and on about it, everybody knows these stories. And everybody that has a father, or a parent that’s played professionally, they can relate. And just having those doubters, and having those people around you, fuel you to be great. And I love it. It’s the best feeling in the world, and I’m smiling about it, but it really is, because it takes the best out of you and it makes you a better person. Q: You have new fodder now because many Knicks fans think your four-year, $71 million deal is the most insane contract they’ve ever seen. A: I would tell ’em they’re getting a different ballplayer than what they saw previous years. I definitely grew as a ballplayer, grew as a man on and off the floor. ... I just want them to know that they’re gonna get the best of Tim Hardaway Jr. 24/7, 365 days of the year, and they won’t regret it. Q: So you’re worth the money? A: I think so. I know so. I know how much work I’ve put into the offseason, I know how much work I put in during the season, and I don’t think it’s a mistake at all. Q: Can you be an All-Star? A: I believe I can. I believe KP [Kristaps Porzingis] can be an All-Star, I can believe a lot of the guys on our team can be All-Stars or raw rookies going to the All-Rookie game, or the World versus USA game. I have faith in everybody on my team. Q: If Carmelo Anthony is traded, a lot of pressure will be on KP. How are you going to help him with that? A: Me and him are gonna be feeling the same type of pressure, and all we can do is have each other’s back in that aspect. Pretty sure teammates will all jump in as well. At the end of the day it’s a team sport, we’re all in this together, and if one man is down, it takes the rest of the 14 guys to pick him back up. Q: What are your thoughts on Melo? A: He was my veteran when I was here. ... My big brother. Q: What about the argument on the court you had with him? A: Just two brothers fighting. And then kissing and making up the next day. And then the media takes it out of proportion and tried to make it bigger than what it is when it wasn’t. Q: What did you fight over that time? A: I don’t know, I think it was a play or something that happened, or something like that. But it was no big deal. Q: What advice would you give to the Tim Hardaway Jr. who was drafted 24th overall by the Knicks in 2013? A: Don’t take anything for granted. You were put in this position to succeed as a ballplayer. I didn’t take the game serious back then. I was just excited and happy to be a part of an NBA team and to be a part of the New York Knicks, and play in front of thousands and thousands of fans in the Garden. But coming back now, I understand that this is serious, and I’m taking it to heart. I want everybody and the fans to know that this is a different Tim Hardaway Jr. coming back here with a mindset of bringing the New York Knicks back to where they need to be, and that’s one of the top-tier teams in the NBA. Q: Describe the low point emotionally in 2015 when you were sent down to the D-League Canton Charge and struggled. A: Emotionally it was a wreck. I played terrible. Q: Did you seek your dad or your mom’s advice? A: My mom was crying, my dad was letting her know that “everything’ll be fine, everything’ll be OK, don’t worry about it.” And I told ’em, “I got this. I’m gonna get myself out of this one. I don’t want nobody’s help. If I ask for advice, I’ll call for your advice,” but I wanted to get myself out of that funk, and I’m happy I did. Q: Was that rock bottom for you? A: Yeah, that was rock bottom. That was under the ground. That was in the core of the earth. That’s how deep it was. You know, you have all that confidence going into Atlanta thinking you’re gonna play, then they tell you you’re not playing the first 25 games ... and you were like, “Why did you guys bring me here?” And you start questioning it. And then the human nature is to blame others. But I blame myself for this one. My agent called, saying, “Suck your teeth in, don’t give no lip, do whatever you gotta do to get back on the floor,” and that’s what I tried to do. Q: You picked former Hawks teammate Kyle Korver’s brain about a healthy diet. A: I eliminated a lot of fried food. I still eat it occasionally ... butter is bad, even though it tastes phenomenal when you’re cooking with it. But try to stay away from that. Ate a lot of fish, sometimes red meats here and there, but not the night before a game, a lot of grilled chicken, a lot of baked chicken, a lot of veggies. Q: How did you change your body, now at 204 pounds at 5.7 body fat (percentage). A: Weight room at least four times a week during the season. A lot of the traveling will take a toll on that, so you have to force yourself to get in the weight room or force yourself to get in the cold tub and hot tub, and get massages when needed, and all that good stuff just to make sure you’re able to perform at the highest level on the court. Q: You began studying film more? A: Studying film is definitely one of the keys to success in this league. You’re given the answers before you’re taking the test. The more you study, the more you watch film, the easier it is for you to be in the right spot at the right time on both ends of the floor. Q: A dream or something you’ve visualized? A: Winning a championship Game 7, down two, you hit the game-winning 3. ... And you’re on the road. And to do it in this organization, ’cause I don’t want to go anywhere else.