Shaquille O’Neal believed that Penny Hardaway would have been one of the top three players in the history of the NBA.
Speaking on an episode of The Pivot, Shaq highlighted Hardaway’s greatness, if not for his knee injury.
“If Penny didn’t get hurt, he would have been one of the top 3 players in the history of the game… Took Kobe two, maybe two and a half years to get to that level. Penny came in, he was already like that. First-year he came, and we went to the finals. Penny was cold!… People give me flak like that and say he couldn’t have turned out, but if he wouldn’t have gotten injured, he would definitely be up there, definitely.”
[Starts 25:41 onwards]
Shaq and Hardaway were pivotal in their efforts to help the Orlando Magic to make their first playoff series where they were swept by the Indiana Pacers. Their healthy resumed the following year when they made the NBA Finals, and they played the Chicago Bulls in the ECF.
Hardaway’s career was marred with injuries that began in 1998, and he eventually underwent four more surgeries on his left knee that put his career off track.
He was traded to the Phoenix Suns the following year and was eventually acquired by the New York Knicks in 2004. After two-and-a-half seasons where his injuries persisted, he was signed by Miami Heat but waived after suiting up for 16 games.
Nick Anderson Compared Penny Hardaway To Kobe Bryant
The late Kobe Bryant and Magic superstar Penny Hardaway may have only squared off against each other 13 times, but comparisons of the latter being better than the Los Angeles Lakers legend continues to do the rounds to date.
If it was former Laker Shaquille O’Neal who earlier said Hardaway was the Kobe before Kobe, another former Magic star echoed a similar emotion.
Nick Anderson, in a recent interview with Basketball News, said the shooting guard would have had a career like the Black Mamba if not for the knee injuries that dented his playing time.
“I know Kobe was Kobe, but if Penny Hardaway never got hurt, people would be talking about him in the same breath.”
Hardaway was terrific for the Magic, averaging 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in his six seasons with the franchise. Overall, he averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in his 704 games in the NBA.
It goes without saying that Shaq was accurate in his statement.
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