Tim Hardaway Jr. Knows He Nailed His MJ Outfit

It’s not impossible to pull off a celebrated fit inside the bubble. But nailing a look—kooky printed shirt, matching shorts, crispy white sneaks—last attempted by Michael Jordan in the early ‘90s? That’s considerably more difficult. “But it’s summer time, you’re in the bubble,” Tim Hardaway Jr. explained. “Express yourself.” And for the dynamic Dallas Maverick, self-expression meant mimicking one of the most memorable uniforms His Airness has ever worn. It was effortless, smooth, and, one week into the season’s restart, an undeniable highlight from the bubble.

On Friday, GQ called Hardaway Jr. up to talk about representing Jordan, post-game shower struggles, what it’s like to play with Luka Doncic, and more.

GQ: What’s the story behind this outfit?

Tim Hardaway Jr.: I had the fit shipped to me at my house in Miami because that’s where I was quarantined at. I kind of expected the season to come back in the summertime, so I just said to myself, “You know what, I’m not gonna wear it now. I’m just gonna keep it in the wrapping and wait until the season comes back so I can wear it to a game.” I packed it with me to Dallas, then I packed it with me to Orlando, and I just tried to wait for the right time to wear it. That was the first time I ever wore it. I took it out of the wrapping that morning. I tried to do the best MJ impersonation I could, but with my flair to it.

Were you familiar with that look before you saw The Last Dance?

I first saw it when they came out with that Dream Team documentary [The Dream Team] years ago, that they still play on NBATV. It had all those guys, and back in the day that style was fresh. Everybody had the shorts and the T-shirt that match, and everybody had their shirts tucked in. My dad dressed the exact same way, when he was in Golden State playing for the Warriors. That’s how everybody dressed in the ‘90s, man.

Did your dad comment on the MJ outfit?

He said I pulled it off! MJ had his hat to the front; I like wearing my hat backwards. Jordan had on some lower socks, and I like medium-size high socks so I can scrunch and ruffle them up a little bit around the ankles.

Were you getting comments from people as you walked in or out of the arena, or from teammates in the locker room?

Everybody liked the fit. I was surprised I got that many compliments because I’m the type of guy that’s not really going to go all out of my comfort zone. But it’s summer time, you’re in the bubble, express yourself.

I wore the shorts to our film room, but I didn’t wear the shirt. I had the shorts and the socks, but I had on a white tee. So my teammates were like “I love those shorts, the shorts are awesome,” and then when they saw the shirt with the shorts they were like “Aaaaah!” Everybody saw what I was going for. It was cool. It put a lot of smiles on people’s faces. And it was even better when we got the win later on that day.

What was it like being a Jordan Brand athlete during The Last Dance mania?

It was awesome, just because you see all the shoes that he’s playing in—the I’s, the II’s, the III’s, the IV’s, the XII’s, the XIII’s—and you’re like “Hey I’ve got those shoes in my closet right now.” Or ‘“Hey, I’ve played in those shoes in a couple games!” He played in the United Center. We play on the same court in the same building. You don't really think about those things until you watch The Last Dance and you key in on the little things like that.

You’ve been in the bubble for a few weeks now. Are you comfortable yet, or still getting used to it?

It’s very weird in the sense where you don’t have your daily routines. We can’t even shower after the games. We’ve gotta leave. It’s little things like that. Some guys like to shower after their pregame work out. Some guys like to shower right before the games, to feel fresh when they put their uniform on. Guys can’t even do that.

After I wore the Jordan outfit, I started to realize it might not be a good idea to wear the same clothes that you wore to the game, and then put them on after, you know? Because you’re only wearing it for like 10 or 15 minutes! So I started to bring just my team-issued Nike shirt and shorts, and just wear those after the game. The shower thing is very weird. It’s uncomfortable. And you don’t like leaving the locker room smelling musty, you know? You want to feel good.

So I would say it’s strange, but in a positive way. It’s just like AAU—being around your teammates for a long period of time. Just mingling, creating that off-the-court bond with your teammates, it’s more important than anything.

What are you doing during your off time?

I’m always with my teammates. Always, whether it’s playing pickleball out in the parking lot, golfing, fishing. On our off days, everybody goes to the pool. We made it a thing. Around 12:30, after treatments, everybody finds a way to meet up at the pool. And we’re there for like three or four hours, listening to music, having a ball. And I think that just shows that even though we’re away from our family and our friends, we are a family at the end of the day. Being on a team. That’s all we have in this bubble. I think guys are just doing the best job they can to make the most of it.

Before you were on the Mavs, you played for the Knicks. Every organization has their own perks and flaws and positives and negatives. but what’s been different for you going from that franchise to the one you’re currently on?

With Dallas, the ownership and the coaching staff and the GM and the president, everybody is on the same page. And, let’s just be honest: Rick Carlisle has been with the Mavericks for over a decade. It’s kind of hard when you have a coach and they’re only there for a couple years and then you get a new coach and then a couple years pass and then there’s another coach. It’s hard to build on that. I think once the Knicks get the right people in there to do what they’ve gotta do, then everything will go in a positive direction.

You probably think this is a weird question because you’re his teammate, but how hard is it to process the things Luka Doncic does, considering he’s only 21?

The first shot this guy takes when he comes into the gym, it could be a half-court shot, it could be a full-court shot. When there’s two courts together, he can shoot from one side of the court all the way to the other court’s basket. He does these crazy shots when he’s messing around before practice even starts. And he does them over and over again until he makes a couple.

The guy is incredible. I’m happy to be along for the ride.

How are you feeling about the playoffs?

We have a great chance in this bubble to surprise a lot of people. It's not gonna be easy, but if we can do that, it’s gonna be exciting. So don’t expect anything. Just go out there and take it.

Originally Appeared on GQ