It didn’t take long for Tim Hardaway Jr. to show Doug McDermott what the Nuggets’ new wing is all about.

It was the summer of 2011, and the duo were part of the United States’ Under-19 FIBA World Championship squad. The Americans rolled into Lithuania thinking they would cruise through the competition. Hardaway had seen enough during layup lines ahead of a pre-tournament exhibition against the hosts, which featured Jonas Valanciunas at center.

“We were kind of messing around in warmups. Guys were trying windmills and showing off for the European crowd. I specifically remember Tim pulling us in a huddle and being like ‘Yo, we’ve got to chill out with this flashy (stuff).’ There was some explicit language in there,” McDermott told The Denver Gazette on Friday morning.

“He was like, ‘We’re not doing that. We’re here to win.’ I just remember him pulling everyone in. We’re all 19-year-old kids, just thinking this was going to be easy. Tim pulled us all to the side and pretty much got after us, yelling at us. … It probably rubbed some of the guys on the team the wrong way, but I really respected it.”

That confirmed McDermott’s initial suspicion. He met Hardaway at the Olympic Training Center during tryouts after watching Hardaway’s freshman season at Michigan from afar.

“I loved the way he played. I remember getting to Colorado Springs and meeting him and just remember how intense he is,” McDermott said. “He’s a very intense guy. He really wants to win. That’s all it came down to. I remember just always being around him and how competitive he was from the get-go.”

Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett assisted Paul Hewitt on the United States’ coaching staff. The Americans cruised through the group stage, going 3-0 against Serbia, Egypt and China, before falling to Russia in the quarterfinals. Hardaway had his best game of the tournament in the United States’ finale against Australia, scoring 21 points with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block to help secure a fifth-place finish. Bennett’s memories matched McDermott’s.

“I thought he was pretty classy, pretty mature,” Bennett told The Denver Gazette on Wednesday. “That’s where he had the NBA DNA. He wasn’t a screwball at all, very professional.”

Tim Hardaway Sr. spent 13 seasons in the NBA, including a 14-game stint with the Nuggets to conclude the 2001-02 season. He was a five-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection. Tim Jr. was born in Alameda, Calif., during his third season of his NBA career with the Golden State Warriors.

“He had confidence, a good kind of confidence. He showed it some in big games,” Bennett said.

“First of all, you know who he is. You know his dad. … He’s not hiding from that name. His name is Tim Hardaway. You knew who he was. … He was not going to be overwhelmed by the situation.”

Despite the name recognition, junior had to earn his way not just to the NBA but also to college. He was a three-star recruit on Rivals.com and a four-star on ESPN after playing high school ball at Miami Palmetto and AAU ball for the South Florida Heat.

“You would think that all the big schools would be after him because of his dad and what his dad accomplished. … That reason alone is why he’s still playing at a high level. He’s always kind of had that chip on his shoulder. I think, obviously, being who his dad is and having to live up to that probably drives him,” McDermott said.

“Being an under-the-radar recruit … I think that is motivation alone. You see a lot of guys – not just him – have a long career because you always remember when you were underrecruited and no one believed in you. I think that’s what makes Tim special. I think that’s what really drives him.”

There were higher-rated recruits on the under-19 roster. Florida’s Patric Young was the 13^th-ranked recruit in the high school class, according to ESPN, while Memphis guard Joe Jackson (21), North Texas forward Tony Mitchell Jr. (24), Michigan State guard Keith Appling (27), and Illinois center Meyers Leonard (47) were top-50 recruits. McDermott and Hardaway are the only members of the team still playing in the NBA.

After leading Michigan to the national championship game as a junior, Hardaway Jr. declared for the 2013 NBA draft and was selected by the Knicks with the 24^th pick. He and McDermott reunited with the Knicks during the 2017-18 season. Their lives had changed, but Hardaway hadn’t, despite signing a four-year contract worth more than $70 million.

 “Nothing had changed. He had just signed his big contract. … He was still so hard on himself,” McDermott said.

“If he didn’t play well, he was constantly watching film on what he could do better. He’s just a professional. I know that’s why he’s playing this long. I think the Nuggets definitely got a steal with him. He’s going to be perfect, playing with Jokic and the way they play. In their system, they always need shooting, and Tim is one of the best.”

After his second stint with the Knicks, Hardaway spent parts of six seasons with Mavericks before spending last season with the Pistons. His three-best shooting seasons from 3-point range came playing alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas. Then, he signed a veteran minimum contract to come to Denver this summer and play alongside Nikola Jokic with the Nuggets, while McDermott prepares to return to a Sacramento Kings. For all that’s changed since the summer of 2011, a lot has remained the same.

“He definitely is very hard on himself. He’s his biggest critic. That’s why he’s had the career he’s had,” McDermott said. “It doesn’t matter how much money he’s making, what he’s accomplished, he’s still that same guy from back in the FIBA U19 days. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”