“That’s my city,” Hardy said. “That’s where I’m from. I just want to put on for Oakland. I’ve always thought of getting it, but I had to get it when I went back. It was time.”

His more recent tattoo isn’t the only one he looks to when he needs a little inspiration. The freshman also has his mother’s name and a bible passage from Romans 8:18: “The pain that you’ve been feeling can’t compare to the joy that’s coming.”

“When things get tough, I just look at it, and it reminds me to stay focused,” he said. “Good is always going to come.”

He has made sure he doesn’t have to look far to find meaning. He finds inspiration in the artwork.

While the Oakland tattoo is a representation of home, he has fully immersed himself in his new college town. In fact, during a trip through the city for a photoshoot with his fellow freshmen, Hardy came away impressed at everything Seattle has to offer.

From the view on a rooftop deck, to the graffiti and brick of Pioneer Square and a random basketball hoop found just inside the loading dock of a business near the waterfront, Hardy was happy to have the opportunity to venture out to places he had yet to see much of during the short time he has been in the city.

“This is probably the most exploring I’ve done,” he said. “It was dope today. I just love the scenery in Seattle. It’s more artistic than I thought. It’s a great city to live in.”

Hardy started playing basketball so long ago, he can’t remember the exact moment. He said his father, James, gave him a basketball, “at an early age.” He’s been playing ever since.

“It just took off from there,” Hardy said.

When he was young, he also played baseball. But when he was on the baseball field, he always seemed to be thinking about basketball, so over time, he started to focus his attention on his opportunities in the gym.

“Basketball just seemed to catch my interest,” he said.

The more he watched LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, the more he wanted to play. He played his way into a scholarship with the Huskies.

“I just loved the environment, so I chose to go here,” Hardy said. “The team vibe and the city vibe. It felt the most like home, similar to the Bay Area. I just liked the vibe of the team and the UW family.”

Even before Washington had played a single game this season, Hardy was already talking about the growth in his game. He joined the program ready to learn and is taking every advantage to study those who have already experienced what he’s going through.

“I’ve been learning every day, trying to pick up new things and soak up as much information as possible before the seniors leave,” Hardy said. “Even the sophomores and juniors, with their experience, it’s just good to get anything I can from them.

“I’m just staying humble, trying to get where I want to go.”

When Hardy steps off the floor, he likes to stick close to his teammates and plays his share of video games. But since he’s in the Pacific Northwest, he is pushing himself to take advantage of new opportunities unique to the area.

“I’m starting to like the outdoors a little bit more, just being out looking at different scenery, different places, hanging out with my friends and having a good time, whatever that may be,” he said.

For Hardy, “Oakland is the best city in the world.” But being in Seattle with teammates from all over the country is exposing the freshman to new people.

“It’s crazy to see how people carry themselves from different places,” he said. “It’s cool to see different people’s personalities and how their background impacts them.”

Life in his new home is different, but with just enough similarities to make it the perfect place to develop as both a person and player.

And if he ever gets homesick, all he has to do is look to his forearm. Oakland is always with him.

Support Washington Men's Basketball by giving a gift to the program.