Father predicted Hardy boys were destined to play pro basketball

Ramsay Hardy isn’t necessarily a modern-day Nostradamus. But he made a pretty bold prediction back in the day that has suddenly become true.

When Hardy’s two sons – Amauri and Jaden – were impressionable little kids, Ramsay used to have them heavily involved in basketball camps and clinics in the Detroit area. At the time, Ramsay was an AAU coach, so he was always rubbing shoulders with the best of the best when it comes to basketball players.

And he would always have Amauri and Jaden in camps hosted by members of the Detroit Pistons, such as Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Lindsey Hunter. Year after year of repeating this process, one thing became apparent to Ramsay Hardy:

Jaden and Amauri Hardy were one day going to be pro basketball players.

Well, that day has arrived.

Jaden Hardy is 20 years old and in his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks after playing last year with the NBA’s G League Ignite. And Amauri Hardy is 24 years old and in his first season with the G League’s Texas Legends after playing last year with the G League Ignite.

For a doting dad like Ramsay, this is a well-thought out plan that was made in basketball heaven.

“I saw the vision when they were little,” Ramsay said. “By me already working around and knowing a lot of pro players, and them getting mentored by them growing up since they were little, that’s all they knew.

“It’s a blessing from God to be in this position. It’s a lot of hard work and dedication.”

That hard work and dedication has definitely paid off.

A 6-3, 198-pound shooting guard, Jaden said he always looked up to his dad and Amauri for inspiration when they were growing up.

“I was always going to his tournaments, I was always working out with him, going to his high school games, and just being able to see it up close and seeing what it was like,” Jaden said. “Going against him every day — one-on-one — and him pushing me is how I got here (in the NBA) today.”

By the time he was a high school senior, Jaden had developed into one of the top high school prospects in the country. He ultimately chose to bypass college and instead play last year for the G League Ignite before arriving in the NBA this season.

Jaden was selected 37^th overall by Sacramento in last summer’s NBA Draft, and the Mavs immediately acquired his rights during a draft day trade. While Jaden has averaged 6.5 points in just 10.7 minutes this season, he has exploded recently, including pouring in 25 points in just 27 minutes during a game on Jan. 15 at Portland.

And on Monday in Utah, Jaden fired in 29 points in 26 minutes against the Jazz. In all, over the past 10 games, Jaden is averaging 8.5 points in 11.6 minutes.

In the meantime, Amauri — a 6-1, 200-pound point guard — has always been very supportive of his little brother. And vice-versa.

Thus, when the opportunity presents itself, Amauri is always at Jaden’s games cheering him on, and Jaden is always at Amauri’s games cheering him on.

“Sometimes I’ll send him a text message at halftime, because I know he might check his phone, and I’m like this is something you can look for going back out there,” Amauri said. “It’s just my observation.

“I know it’s something he probably appreciates. It would be something that I would tell him even if he was playing on the Legends with me. We had those same type of conversations.”

Jaden respects, and anticipates, his brother’s leadership qualities.

“He just told me to keep doing what you’re doing,” Jaden said. “Play within myself and let the game come to me and be confident.”

Amauri’s basketball travels were not as smooth as Jaden’s. As a high school sophomore, Amauri averaged 19 points, but played only four games because he suffered an MCL injury.

But as a junior he bounced back and averaged 21 points, six assists and six steals, and as a senior he averaged 29 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals. From there, Amauri played collegiately for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas from 2017-20, then transferred and played a season for Oregon before joining the G League Ignite last season.

“I did three years at UNLV and ended up graduating there as a junior and then transferred to Oregon,” Amauri said. “In Oregon, I came into a situation not thinking it was going to end up like that.

“I still had another year to use, but I just decided I wanted to start my professional career.”

In 16 games for the Legends this season, Amauri is averaging 7.6 points in 16.8 minutes. He also scored 25 points and distributed seven assists on 9-of-13 shooting during a Jan. 29 game against Mexico.

And in the last five games, Amauri has averaged 15.6 points and shot a sizzling 63.2 percent from the field.

For Amauri, to see Jaden have so much success so early has been extremely enjoyable to watch.

“It’s unbelievable, but it’s also something that we talked about even years ago,” Amauri said. “It’s just him being able to take advantage of the opportunities and preparing yourself when the opportunities do come, and that you’ve been putting in the work on a day-to-day basis.

“And also you’re making sure that your mind is in the right place so you can take advantage and have those type of performances, because those performances just don’t happen. It comes from being in the gym, being a good person, keeping your spirits high, and days of just praying and believing in yourself. I think he’s done a great job of staying true to himself, accepting the coaching that’s been given to him, accepting the criticism, taking it and just trying to make those improvements.”

Ramsay said because Amauri had exceptional ball-handling skills even at a young age, he knew he would become a pro basketball player.

“One thing for Amauri, he was playing with the 10-and under kids at five years old,” Ramsay said. “He was playing with 10-year olds and holding his own at age five. You don’t see that anywhere in the world, especially for a five-year old to be scoring on a 10-foot goal. He had a pro handle at age five.

“I was training him and I was working in the gym every day, so when I taught the classes, he was always in the class every day. He was in the drills, and especially when he turned six, 10-year olds couldn’t touch him at age six. He had a pro handle and a jump shot when he turned six. That’s why Jaden said they were always playing ahead of their game. You weren’t stealing the ball from them.”

Ramsay also used to help out with the famous AND1 teams – a group of famous streetball basketball players who traveled around the country and showcased their dribbling, dunking and basketball skills in front of adoring fans.

“That was really where Amauri got his handles from,” Ramsay said. “From watching it, and I used to have the AND1 players in my camps. I used to do the camps and the clinics with them.”

Meanwhile, Ramsay has been busying racking up a lot of frequent flier miles just to watch his sons play. On Jan. 10 and 12, he was in Los Angeles to watch Jaden and the Mavs play the Clippers and Lakers, respectively.

Then on Jan. 13, he flew back to Dallas to watch Amauri and the Legends play games on Jan, 13 and 14 in Frisco. And on Jan. 15, he hopped on another plane and flew to Portland to watch Jaden and the Mavs play that night against the Trail Blazers.

Ramsay also was in Los Angeles this Wednesday when the Mavs defeated the Clippers. But now he’s back in Dallas preparing for Saturday’s game in Frisco between the Legends and the G League Ignite.

In other words, as far as Ramsay is concerned, watching his sons play in person is required.

“We his boys, so he wants to be able to see both of us play,” Jaden said. “So whenever he can he’s going to try to make both of our games any time he gets a chance to. He’s always there to support us.”

Of jet-setting across the country, Ramsay said: “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. It’s a lot of travel. I’ve been doing it before, but not like on this level.”

On this level, playing on the same G League Ignite team last season was a godsend for Amauri and Jaden. Plus, they’ve played a few games together this season with the Legends.

“Being in the same city and in the same business with my brother is pretty cool,” Amauri said. “It was cool just to see his development from when he was with the Ignite to now. I felt like he always had confidence, but he has a different type of swagger to him. It’s like he knows his game is really developed, and he’s taking this next step and he knows what to do.

“Even when he was down in the G League (this season), he kind of embraced it. He made the most of it and it’s showing in his play today.”

For the Hardy’s, their success is all a family affair and they’re enjoying every second of it.

“It was a blessing, honestly, just to be able to play professional basketball with Amauri at this level,” Jaden said. “For us to still share that moment and be on our journey together, it’s a blessing.

“To be turning pro the same year — as far as us being professionals and having the opportunity to be on the same team together, it was super fun.”

Of course, when two brothers are on the basketball court there’s always a degree of trash talking that may not be super fun. But it’s all in the name of (brotherly) love, of course.

“I be like, ‘This is when you’re going to pick up your first foul because you can’t guard me,’ “ Amauri said. “I think it gives him that competitive edge, because he always wants to beat me.

“Me being the older brother, he wants to be better than me, so I push him as much as possible. I probably said more bad things to him than anybody has ever said.”

In the end, for Jaden, it’s all good.

For now, the next level of success Ramsay would like to see is for Amauri to make his way on to an NBA roster. And Ramsay is predicting that will happen in due time.

“When we were younger we always knew this was going to be our calling card,” Amauri said. “Whether it ended up leading to something else or not, we were definitely going all-in on basketball.

“Even facing up against each other or being in some big game against each other, we talked about that kind of stuff all the time. I think we more or less manifested it by talking like it’s going to happen before it even happens.”

Jaden certainly can’t wait for his brother to join him on the NBA stage.

“That’s going to be a surreal moment,” Jaden said. “It’s both of our dreams. I know he believes that he’s going to be here one day.”

Twitter: @DwainPrice