Before the Golden State Warriors had the “Splash Brothers,” they had one of the best trio’s in basketball, “Run TMC.” Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin were a part of that high scoring offense for the Warriors from 1989-91.

Though the group wasn’t together for long, they made a name for themselves, and the nickname stuck with them.

How Run TMC came about?

Mullin, a Hall of Famer, was the first member of the group, joining the Warriors in 1985. Richmond was drafted in 1988, and Hardaway was drafted in 1989. Their group nickname was a play on the hip-hop group Run-DMC.

When the trio debuted their new name, the Warriors led the NBA in scoring during the 1989-90 season. That season Mullin averaged 25.1 points, Richmond averaged 22.1 points, and Hardaway averaged 14.7 points.

The next season all three players averaged over 20 points per game leading a high-scoring Warriors’ offense. During the 1990-91 season, the Warriors sold out every home game as fans wanted to see the “Run TMC” trio and that high-octane offense. In the season opener, they defeated the Denver Nuggets 162-158, which is the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history. In that game, Mullin had a game-high 38 points, Hardaway had 32, and Richmond finished with 29.

The trio ended the 1990-91 season, averaging 72.5 points as the league’s highest-scoring trio. The team also finished second in scoring averaging 116.6 points per game. The trio’s combined scoring average was the second-highest in NBA history for a 20-point trio.

The end of Run TMC

In 1991 the trio broke up when Richmond was traded to the Sacramento Kings. Though the team didn’t have much success, the trio was able to create a wave during their time together in the league. They were not only known in the state of California but across the country.

After Warriors’ head coach Don Nelson traded Richmond, he said he would never make that trade again. In the trio’s two seasons together, the Warriors finished with an 81-83 record. They did win a playoff series but did not have much team success other than that.

Each of the three members went on to have successful NBA careers after the group split up. They would all get their jerseys retired by respected teams. The Warriors retired Mullin’s jersey, the Kings retired Richmond’s jersey, and the Miami Heat retired Hardaway’s jersey. Richmond was the only member of the group who won an NBA championship. He was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ team that won it all in 2002.

Leaving a mark in the NBA

The “Run TMC” group left a place in NBA history despite only being together for a few years. They brought excitement to the league, and all three players formed a great bond during their time in Golden State.

If you ask NBA players today who “Run TMC” was, most of them would not hesitate to name the three players. They created something special in Golden State, and the NBA, and people caught on quickly to who they were and how well they played together. There will only be one “Run TMC” trio in the history of the NBA.