What Happened to Tim Hardaway Jr? Pistons Star Wheelchaired to Locker Room After Scary Fall vs Miami Heat

Scary sights in Detroit. Well, the Pistons are playing their first group-stage game of the Emirates NBA Cup. Their opponents? The Miami Heat. But the competitiveness quickly turned to concern as Tim Hardaway Jr. took multiple bumps to the head in a scary fall that led to him getting wheel-chaired off the court.

It was during the early minutes of the third quarter that Tim Hardaway Jr. stepped into Bam Adebayo’s driving lane and caught an elbow to the face. Yes, he fell to the floor immediately. But that was not the hit that kept him down. Just seconds later, in the same play, he got back up to charge at Tyler Herro and then fell backward after taking the impact of their clash. Unfortunately, Tim hit the back of his head twice during the fall, first on his teammate Jalen Duren’s knee and then on the hardwood.

Sure enough, the scary fall had everyone gasping. And the hoopster lay on the floor for several minutes while his teammates and the medical staff checked on him. Then, Hardaway was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair while his head was covered with a towel. Obviously, he was dazed after the fall but was moving his arms on his way out.

And the fans took that as a positive sign and applauded Tim Hardaway Jr. for his effort. Meanwhile, the Pistons star’s dad, Tim Hardaway Sr. was watching the whole ordeal from the sidelines and rushed to check on his son immediately toward the locker room.

Tim Hardaway Jr.’s ‘love’ for taking charges has cost him

Well, this is Hardaway’s first season with the Pistons after he got traded from Dallas this summer. And the hoopster vowed to bring a lot of versatility to the team during his Media Day interview, “Being that vocal guy out there on the floor to make sure everybody’s in their right spots.” Moreover, he announced his willingness to sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team, “Everybody also knows I love taking charges. That’s a beeline staple so, if anybody’s going to have their back, definitely I’ll be there for sure.”

While that’s a great quality to have in a player, it cost Tim Hardaway Jr. badly tonight. It was his effort to initiate a charge on Herro that eventually led to him suffering the scary fall and then taking a smack to the head. He did not return after getting wheel-chaired to the locker room, finishing the night with only 11 points. Hopefully, his injury is not as scary as it looked and he’s able to play again soon. Prayers Up!

Update via Chris Haynes on X: “Sources: Detroit Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. underwent a CAT scan and results were negative. He will be getting stitched up after taking elbow to face and then slamming back of his head against the hardwood. He was wheeled off court. Great news considering how scary it looked.”