When Jaden Hardy was a senior in high school, he was one of the most sought-after prospects in the Class of 2021. His eye-popping statistics (30.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.4 assists per game) his junior season earned him the Nevada Prep Boys Athlete of the Year award.
He ranked as high as third on prospect and recruiting lists and had offers from some of the top schools in the country, including UCLA and Kentucky. But Hardy wanted to take his own path. Following his senior year, Hardy announced he was joining the G-League Ignite, a program designated to develop NBA prospects. The Ignite program was in just its second year and choosing this over going to college was a huge risk for Hardy, but he chose the route that he felt was best for him.
“Choosing this route, I feel like it was the best position for me and I’m glad that I chose it.”
Hardy was one of the first prospects to join the program, following in the footsteps of guys like Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga, who joined the year prior in the program’s pilot season. Green and Kuminga excelled in their time with the Ignite and both went on to be top=7 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft (Green 2 nd , Kuminga 7 th ). Green averaged 17.9 points in his time with the Ignite, while Kuminga averaged 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game.
Hardy also played well in his time with the program, averaging 17.7 points a night. However, while Green and Kuminga were drafted in the lottery, Hardy fell to the second round, when the Mavericks selected him with the 37 th pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
At his introductory press conference in Dallas, Hardy confirmed his position and said he would make the same choice if he could go back in time. “Playing against NBA-level is going to help me better in the long run,” he said at the press conference.
In his first season with the Mavericks, Hardy has seen minimal playing time but has shown glimpses of greatness in his time on the court. In Dallas’s recent matchup with the Celtics, Hardy scored 15 points in 15 minutes and changed the momentum of the game. While the Mavericks ultimately lost the game, Hardy showed that he has what it takes to play at the highest level.
He’s also shown that in his time with the Texas Legends this year. Hardy has thrived in Frisco, averaging 28.8 points on 54.9/49/88.4 shooting splits. Now, as Dallas looks to make a run and having recently released Kemba Walker, Hardy will likely see an increase in minutes. Following his 15-point performance against the Celtics, he acknowledged that the limited playing time in the NBA can be difficult, but he said he’s going to continue to stay the course and stay ready. He turned around and scored 15 points two days later in a Mavericks win over the New Orleans Pelicans, showing that he’s ready to take the next step and be a contributor for this team.
“Going in, staying late at night in the gym, going in early in the mornings, and just working on my game, staying confident in my abilities,” Hardy said. “Never have I once ever doubted myself or felt like I wasn’t good enough, so I just continue to stay humble, stay in the gym, and put in work.”