NIU sophomore point guard Anthony Maestranzi doesn’t regularly go up against NBA players, but Sunday wasn’t his normal day.

The 5-foot-10 Maestranzi found himself guarding and being guarded by former NBA all-star Tim Hardaway at the Convocation Center in five pick-up games with other NIU players.

“He’s still got game,” Maestranzi said. “I’ve never seen anyone who can see the floor like him.”

Most recently of the Indiana Pacers, Hardaway has, and is expected to continue, commuting to the NIU campus for the Huskie basketball camps where his sixth grade son is a participant.

A Chicago native (Carver H.S.), it was Hardaway’s relationship with former NBA player and current NBA assistant coach Donald Whiteside that brought him to DeKalb.

“I knew him from the city,” said Whiteside, a Chicago Leo H.S. graduate. “My freshman year at NIU we played him when he was a junior at Texas-El Paso. I invited him here and it’s a great opportunity for guys to know that a guy like Tim will come back.”

Hardaway, though, has taken a backseat approach to the camp and is here as a father first, NIU coach Rob Judson said.

“I asked him if he wanted to speak to the campers, but he just wanted to observe,” Judson said. “He is here with his family and wants to watch his son, which is understandable.”

Whiteside’s relationship was bonded even closer with Hardaway when the 17-year pro coached a Chicago Pro/Am team which Whiteside won the MVP award, eventually catapulting him into the NBA with the Toronto Raptors.

Still staying in shape, Hardaway was seen at the Student Recreation Center weight room on Sunday and commutes from his home in Chicago to DeKalb for the camp, which runs throughout the week at the Convo Center, the Rec and Anderson Hall courts.

As for Maestranzi and the rest of the Huskies, they hope they will get another chance to play with Hardaway in more pick up games this week.

“Anthony [Maestranzi] did pretty good on him, especially considering he’s an NBA All-Star,” said NIU freshman center James Hughes. “We just hope [Hardaway] comes back for some more games.”