Trevor Ariza recently made a bold claim about Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, stating that for a two-year period between 1994 and 1995, Penny was better than Michael Jordan. Speaking on the ‘Iman Amongst Men’ podcast, Ariza reflected on how Hardaway emerged as one of the most dominant players in the league during Jordan’s brief retirement from basketball, and even when MJ returned to the court in 1995.
“Penny, growing up, he was the standard for a minute. There were two years where he was better than Jordan, bro. I’m not fuc***g lying.” (21:30)
Ariza, a former NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, has always admired Hardaway. He shared that, during his youth, Penny was the standard bearer for basketball excellence.
Standing at 6-foot-7, Penny was often compared to Magic Johnson for his ability to handle the ball, facilitate plays, and dominate defensively as a tall point guard. Ariza noted that when Jordan stepped away from the NBA in 1993 to pursue a career in baseball, Hardaway seamlessly took over as one of the best players in the league.
Penny Hardaway arrived in the NBA in 1993, the same year Jordan retired. As a rookie with the Orlando Magic, Hardaway quickly made a name for himself, averaging 16.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.
His stellar debut earned him second place in the Rookie of the Year race. In his second season, Hardaway elevated his game, averaging 20.9 points and 7.7 assists, earning All-Star honors and a spot on the All-NBA First Team. With Shaquille O’Neal as his partner in crime, Hardaway helped establish the Magic as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
Late in the 1994-1995 season, Jordan returned to the NBA, but Ariza noted that MJ wasn’t the same dominant player he had been before retiring. Jordan wore the unfamiliar number 45, and in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Hardaway and the Magic knocked out the Bulls in six games. Hardaway averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 assists per game in that series, proving himself to be one of the league’s elite players.
While Hardaway was indeed playing at an extraordinary level, Jordan silenced his critics soon after. In the next three seasons, he led the Bulls to three more championships and won two additional MVP awards, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Despite Jordan’s eventual resurgence, Ariza’s belief in Hardaway’s brief supremacy highlights how dominant Penny was during his prime. Had it not been for injuries that derailed his career, Hardaway might have cemented his place as one of the all-time greats. Nonetheless, for two seasons, Penny’s blend of skill, athleticism, and basketball IQ made him a top player, even in comparison to the legendary Michael Jordan.
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