Tim Hardaway Sr., the legendary guard most famously known for his stints with the Run TMC Golden State Warriors and the late 90s Miami Heat, has waited long enough for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and on September 11, he will finally receive the plaudits his illustrious career deserves.

Hardaway is now hoping that newer NBA fans, specifically Heat supporters, won't forget the part he played in laying the foundation for what is now known as the famous Heat Culture. Heat Culture, simply put, revolves around players who give it their all on the court every single night, characterized by hard-nosed effort and a blue collar mentality.

Younger fans are surely familiar with the tone set by Heat mainstay Udonis Haslem and the toughness typified by All-Star Jimmy Butler, as well as the magical Heatles run led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, but it was Hardaway's arrival in Miami in 1996 that marked the beginning of it all.

“I really think Heat culture started in ‘96-97, with Keith [Askins], Alonzo Mourning, myself, Voshon Lenard, Dan Majerle, Ike Austin and P.J. Brown, of course,” Hardaway told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “All this social media, they forget about what really, really happened in ‘96-97, ‘98, ‘99. They forget about what really happened. They just look at now, with the Big Three and those guys. I laugh, I just let it go.”

Tim Hardaway's arrival effectively sparked the Heat's franchise turnaround, establishing an identity to be emulated by future Heat squads.

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“I knew I could still play at a high level and back to where I needed to get to at an All-Star level. It’s kind of like we both needed each other. Pat [Riley] needed me; I needed Pat. And Zo needed both of us to get to the next level,” Hardaway said. “That’s how it came around and evolved. I just think we needed each other. And it all happened beautifully, for all three of us.”

Tim Hardaway was first eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2007, but off-court issues delayed Hardaway's immortalization; however, he has now paid his dues and made amends to the communities he hurt with his insensitive remarks. Hardaway now hopes that his past will not be remembered for his mistakes, but for the part he played in turning around the Heat's fortunes.