Sports

Michigan’s Hardaway, Robinson have winning ways ‘in their DNA’

Michigan men’s basketball standouts Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III are best known for their famous fathers’ many on-court accomplishments.

If the start to their season is any indication, however, the two sons one day may be viewed independently of their dads, both former NBA stars.

That was certainly the case on Wednesday as the No. 4 Wolverines rallied from behind to top Pittsburgh, 67-62, in the Preseason NIT semifinals at the Garden. In a game-changing 20-6 run late in the second half, the two completely took over, combining for 18 of the Wolverines’ 20 points.

“It was just a great job of our teammates finding us,” Hardaway Jr. said. “It was just looking at the defense and taking what the defense gave us.”

Robinson and Hardaway (an All-Big Ten third team selection last year) prefer to talk about their personal goals than name-drop about the many famous players around whom they grew up.

Being the son of an NBA player has its positives and negatives, both said. There are challenges, such as the many comparisons from the time they started to take the sport seriously.

“Being a legacy child is not easy,” Michigan head coach John Beilein said. “Thus far both are handling it well. I’m sure there will be other obstacles sometimes, but they realize that’s part of it.”

Hardaway, in fact, was booed during pregame introductions at the Garden (where his father was a villain while with the Heat in the late 1990s), before erupting in the second half and getting serenaded by the pro-Michigan crowd once he caught fire.

Hardaway and Robinson are unquestionably paramount to Michigan, picked to finish second in the loaded Big 10, living up to its lofty expectations.

One of the more experienced players for the 4-0 Wolverines as a junior, the 6-foot-6 Hardaway has worked to improve his all-around game past his marksmanship from the perimeter, his forte, and is averaging 17 points and nearly seven rebounds per game.

“I love Tim’s overall floor game,” Beilein said.

Robinson, a skilled 6-foot-6 freshman, is looking to find his niche as a combo forward able to score inside and out. He already has impressed the coaching staff with his desire to defend and is scoring over 13 points per contest.

“The biggest thing is that they’re hard workers. Both of them learned that from their fathers,” Beilein said. “Their fathers wouldn’t have ascended to their levels without hard work. That was in their DNA.”

Michigan isn’t over-reliant on the two. Its best player is arguably senior lead guard Trey Burke, an All-Big Ten preseason first team selection. Robinson isn’t even the Wolverines’ highest-rated freshman — forward Mitch McGary is — though Robinson seems to be their most talented newcomer.

After three relatively easy home games to start the year, Michigan was tested by Pittsburgh. The Wolverines trailed for most of the first half before the big comeback, spurred on by Robinson and Hardaway. Up next is gritty and physical Kansas State, which got by underdog Delaware on Wednesday.

It’s only November, but an early title is exactly how Michigan wants to start its season.

“If you want to win a championship one day, you need to start thinking about this one,” Beilein said.