When Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway thinks about his professional career as a player, he has some fond memories to reflect on.
Hardaway, who played fifteen seasons in the NBA, was a four-time All-Star who earned three All-NBA selections. After a solid collegiate career at the University of Memphis, for the Orlando Magic, he and Shaquille O’Neal composed one of the best guard-big duos in the league.
During that stretch, he also helped Team USA win a gold medal during the 1996 Olympics.
i sat down with Penny Hardaway in Memphis and asked him about some of the unfair narratives that exist about him.
not being considered one of the greats is a big one. he told me: “i’m one of the top players to ever play the game.” pic.twitter.com/ikxmvheNWJ
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) November 9, 2021
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Ashley Nicole Smith, Hardaway had some interesting comments about his own success:
“I did get injured. But I showed enough in the game to know that I am one of the top players to ever play the game … When you know the game and you’re the point guard of your team, you’re an extension of the coach.”
Hardaway was one of the game’s best guards when he was at his peak. Standing at 6-foot-7, his ability to succeed with the ball in his hands while also making plays for others was incredibly unique.
Through the first six years of their professional careers, he is one of just six players to average at least 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game while also shooting at least 28.0 percent on 3-pointers. According to Basketball-Reference, the other five are Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Paul and Stephen Curry.
However, knee injuries impacted the remainder of his playing career. After two surgeries in 2000-01, he only once averaged more than ten points per game in his remaining six seasons, which he spent with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat.
It is hard to make the case that he is one of the greatest to ever do it, but when he was at the peak of his powers, his explosiveness and court vision made him a bright star in the game.
As a coach, heading into this season, Hardaway recruited two of the top freshmen in college basketball — Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren — to his program. Memphis looks to improve on their 20-8 record in 2020-21 and make a run at the Final Four in 2021-22.
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