Hardaway believes Wiseman would be a great fit with the Warriors given their roster and his abilities on the court.
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Memphis Tigers men’s basketball head coach Penny Hardaway said recently that projected top-five pick James Wiseman would be a spectacular fit with the Golden State Warriors should they select him with the second overall pick in the NBA draft.
Of course, Hardaway coached Wiseman briefly at Memphis and has scouted him extensively in the past. Given the Warriors’ roster, Hardaway believes Wiseman would be a great fit next to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. During an interview with Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, Hardaway detailed why Wiseman would fit in well.
He’s very athletic, very fast. He’d instantly be one of the better rim runners in the league. He’s also a rim protector; he is going to protect the rim. His skill set is good enough now, and it’s going to get better, especially because he’d be playing with veterans like Draymond, Klay and Steph. Also, he can space (his shot) out to the 3. He’s been working on his jump shot and his understanding of studying film and what a team wants and needs. In their system, with those guys, he would be spectacular.
While Hardaway believes Wiseman would be a good fit with the Warriors, the organization is also said to be high on him.
Several members of the team, including general manager Bob Myers and head coach Steve Kerr, recently watched Wiseman work out and were impressed by his performance, even calling him a beast afterward.
With the second overall pick in tow, the Warriors will likely have the opportunity to take Wiseman if they hold onto the pick. They have been rumored into wanting to trade down so they figure to have a few options to consider on Nov. 18.
In any case, Hardaway certainly did his best to lobby for his former player…
On this date in 1993, the Orlando Magic selected Michigan forward Chris Webber with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
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On this date in 1993, the Orlando Magic selected Michigan forward Chris Webber with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Of course, the draft rights to Webber were immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the third overall pick, which was used to select Memphis State guard Anfernee Hardaway, and three future first-round draft picks.
Webber was named the 1993-94 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in 76 games with the Warriors. He became the first rookie in history to total at least 1,000 points (1,333), 500 rebounds (694), 250 assists (272), 150 blocks (164) and 75 steals (93) in a season.
Webber was eventually traded following his rookie season to the Washington Bullets after a strained relationship with Warriors head coach Don Nelson. He went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star and earned All-NBA First Team honors in 2001 with the Sacramento Kings.
Miller may have retired from playing in 2017 but the former 17-year NBA veteran can still put on a clinic on the hardwood.
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Mike Miller may have retired from playing competitive basketball in 2017 but the former 17-year NBA veteran can still put on a clinic on the hardwood.
Miller became an assistant coach under Penny Hardaway at Memphis in 2018 after retiring from the NBA. The two-time NBA champion has become one of the best recruiters in the country and has helped Memphis become a marquee program in the country.
Miller just announced last week that he would be resigning from that position to spend time with his family but despite leaving the program, a video recently surfaced on social media of Miller dominating a Tigers player in practice.
Derek Malloy, a graduate assistant at Memphis, posted some videos on Twitter of players challenging Miller in the gym but each came up unsuccessful.
Miller proved to play a crucial role off of the bench to help the Miami Heat win two titles in 2012 and 2013. During Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals, Miller set a record by a reserve after hitting seven 3-pointers to help the Heat win the game.
Those skills haven’t yet left him, as some Tigers players saw firsthand.
Hampton has been going through two-a-days with Hardaway in Memphis ahead of the NBA Draft.
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Potential lottery pick R.J. Hampton has been training with Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway in Memphis ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Rod Hampton, the father of R.J., told John Martin of The Athletic that Hardaway reached out to help train R.J. So, each Sunday the Hampton family drives seven hours from Little Elm, Texas, to Memphis so R.J. can train with Hardaway.
Hardaway puts R.J. through workouts twice a day Monday through Wednesday with a focus on his ballhandling. Hardaway shows R.J. the nuances of the game and preaches patience to him.
“I can’t pinpoint it exactly, but what he’s teaching me — it’s pick-and-roll, it’s ballhandling. He’s teaching me exactly what he’s done,” R.J. said. “Penny’s highlights are what he’s teaching me.”
Hardaway recruited R.J. to play last season at Memphis but R.J. instead chose to play in the National Basketball League in Australia. Despite deciding against playing at Memphis, Hardaway still wanted to give back to R.J. and help him ahead of the draft.
The jury is still out on R.J. after a sub-par showing in the NBL, though. He dealt with an injury that ultimately cut his season short and some believe he will be a mid-to-late first-round selection after averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in the NBL.
The time spent with Hardaway figures to help R.J. continue his development and with the pre-draft process a bit murky due to the coronavirus pandemic, R.J. should walk away from his training with more a few more tools in his bag.
Orlando Magic legend Penny Hardaway had a ton of praise for Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson.
Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson has affected the game in so many ways. From his scoring flair to his fashion style and his never back down attitude that earned him the respect of his peers around the league.
Iverson faced off against the Orlando Magic in the 1999 playoffs in his third season in the league and he led his team to a 3-1 series win over a veteran-laden Magic team. Despite losing Shaquille O’Neal in 1996, Orlando was still a very good team led by star Penny Hardaway so they were the favorites to win the series.
Instead, Iverson put on a show and led Philadelphia to the win. He earned the respect of Hardaway and he joined the All The Smoke Podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson to discuss Iverson and the 1999 playoffs:
AI was different because he still was 6-foot, but he had like 7-foot arms and then he had that ball on a string and he can take and make tough shots. He was atheltic enough, he was fast enough, he was tough enough, and he was a tough shot taker, tough shot maker, and his attitude was on a million. Like had that little man complex so hard like ‘You can’t tell me nothing. You’re not about to stop me. I don’t care who you put in front of me.’ and watching that live while I was already going through my thing, I was like ‘aw, AI is coming and he’s here to stay for a while.’
Hardaway was one of the best players in the league back in the ’90s era of basketball and his time was unfortunately cut short due to injuries. He was one of the more dynamic players in the game and he used his size to his advantage. He could score, rebound, and he had great vision for a guy his size. He and Iverson definitely had their battles in that playoff series in 1999. [lawrence-related id=30999,30993,30978]
Hardaway wisely used his summer filming in “Blue Chips” as a way to land with the Orlando Magic on the night of the NBA Draft.
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Shaquille O’Neal helped transform the Orlando Magic from a franchise startup to a respectable team in the NBA when he was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 1992.
O’Neal averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 1.9 assists in 81 games played that season. He became the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1985 to be named an All-Star and helped lead the Magic to a 41-41 record, an improvement of 20 games from the previous season.
With O’Neal in the fold, the Magic once again landed the No. 1 overall pick the following year. During that time, Chris Webber was considered to be the top player available but a point guard by the name of Penny Hardaway was trying to position himself to join O’Neal on the Magic.
For Hardaway, it helped that he landed a role in the “Blue Chips” movie, which also starred O’Neal and started filming that summer before the NBA Draft. Hardaway recognized the opportunity and used that summer as a way to land in Orlando.
Hardaway explained how he was eventually acquired by the Magic on the night of draft in a recent episode of the “All The Smoke” podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
What I did was, when I got to “Blue Chips” and started doing the movie, it was weird because I was having to try out for teams on the weekends, like fly out and fly back. So I’m like, ‘When I go to Orlando, I’m going to rip this [expletive] up!’ But all summer, I got an audition with Shaq so I didn’t shoot the ball, I passed that [expletive] the ball every time. I was pump-faking three’s, dropping it to him with two people on him, I was giving him the ball every time just to say, ‘Hey, dog, this is exactly what you’re going to get if you bring me to your team in Orlando.’ And that’s what happened, man.
Then getting down there, we obviously had a young squad that was very talented and went to the Finals in only our second year. The audition to get there, I knew exactly what I was doing to get his big [expletive] that ball. I knew he wanted the ball every time.
Once Hardaway landed with the Magic, the team immediately became a contender in the Eastern Conference as they eventually made it to the 1995 NBA Finals. That Magic team was infamously the last to beat Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in a playoff series en route to the Finals.
The run by the Magic in the 1990s was eventually halted with injuries and contract disputes but the story of how Hardaway wisely used a movie set to land with a specific team will forever live on.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James gave a shoutout to former Orlando Magic star Penny Hardaway.
LeBron James has been in a nostalgic mood lately, like the rest of us who love basketball, since all we have to look back at highlights of the past and memories of our favorite players from over the years. But when NBA players are doing the looking back, we tend to learn some interesting things that we often don’t hear in another form. Even though NBA players are as bored as they’ve ever been, that has often led to some stories or anecdotes that we didn’t know before. One of them came last night from LeBron James on his Instagram story, where he shared that Penny Hardaway is his 2nd favorite player of all-time.
“MY GOD!!! MY 2ND FAVORITE PLAYER OF ALL-TIME MAN! LITERALLY COULD WATCH HIM PLAY EVERY NIGHT!!” James wrote on his Instagram story on Thursday night, sharing a post that featured highlights of Hardaway from his days at Memphis before jumping to the NBA and being drafted by the Orlando Magic.
The Memphis head coach took exception with the recruitment process by the G League when it comes to the top high school prospects.
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Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway took exception with the recruitment process by the NBA G League when it comes to the top high school prospects.
Of course, the G League unveiled on April 16 a revamped program designed to provide an alternative pathway for those prospects looking to play professionally straight out of high school. Five-star prospects Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix are among those to commit to the program.
Green and Todd each chose the G League over prospective blue-blood programs while Nix ultimately decided to de-commit from UCLA to join them. The decision by the G League to recruit a commit like Nix to join its program hasn’t sat well with some around college basketball.
“Taking guys out of their commitments (or) they’ve already signed and continuing to talk to their parents, it’s almost like tampering. I really don’t agree with that,” Hardaway said, according to Clayton Collier of Local 24 Memphis.
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On Thursday, North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams said he doesn’t believe the G League program is bad for college basketball but didn’t necessarily agree with taking players out of their commitments with college programs.
“The only negative thing I think is they are calling kids now who have already signed and committed to go to college and trying to see if they have any interest,” Williams said. “I don’t think they should be doing that, that’s my own personal opinion.”
While Hardaway and Williams do not agree with the process, the G League is only targeting a select group of high-profile players for the professional pathway program but their recruiting efforts could mean schools like Memphis and North Carolina miss out on some elite prospects.
The NCAA announced this week that it will move forward to allow student-athletes to be compensated for their name, image and likeness. The decision could help persuade some prospects from playing in college versus leaving for the professional ranks.
While the NCAA will eventually allow players to profit off of their name, image and likeness, it ultimately may not be enough to keep the elite prospects from bypassing college altogether.
The Hornets rookie pointed to Penny Hardaway as a role model growing up.
Four-time NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway has been viewed as an inspirational player for dozens over the years during his time with the Orlando Magic in the mid-1990s.
Hardaway is credited with changing the appearance of a prototypical point guard given his 6-foot-7 frame and ability as a passer and leader on the floor. Hardway was an All-Star in each of his first four seasons in the NBA and helped lead the Magic to the NBA Finals in 1995.
Charlotte Hornets rookie P.J. Washington is among those players that was inspired by Hardaway growing up. Washington commented on a post by SLAM Magazine on Instagram of some of the top playmakers in NBA history with Hardaway earning his vote.
Screenshot/Instagram
Of course, Hardaway was on track to become perhaps one of the greatest point guards in NBA history but his career was derailed by a string of knee injuries that ultimately prevented him from reaching that potential.
Hardaway averaged 19 points, 6.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 369 games with the Magic.
Penny Hardaway opens up about his playing days, his coaching success, his relationship with Shaq, his injuries, the Lil Penny ads and more.
When younger basketball fans hear the name Penny Hardaway, they think of the Memphis Tigers’ head coach. But before successfully transitioning to coaching, Hardaway was an outstanding player. As a 6-foot-7 point guard, he was a match-up nightmare who could dominate games with his jaw-dropping athleticism and terrific court vision. The four-time All-Star averaged 15.2 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds over the course of his 14-year career.
HoopsHype recently caught up with Hardaway to talk about his playing days, his coaching success, his relationship with Shaquille O’Neal, the Lil Penny commercials, the injuries that held him back and more.
When RJ Barrett was going through the pre-draft process, some people were comparing him to you. When you look around the NBA, do you see any players who remind you of yourself?
Penny Hardaway: I don’t know… I haven’t seen someone that made me feel like, “We have similarities,” since Brandon Roy, and that was a while ago. It was his hesitation dribble, [having] enough athleticism and things of that nature. But the thing that made me different… And I’m not saying I was this prototype, but I was quick, I was fast, I was athletic, I could shoot it and I passed it. A lot of guys have a couple of those things, maybe two or three of those things, but [not all of them]. My IQ of the game was very high as well. There are a lot of great tall guards, but I haven’t looked back and said, “Hey man, this one guy reminds me of me,” since Brandon Roy.
I think you’re the kind of player who could have done well in any era. Do you ever wonder how different things would be if you played in today’s NBA?
PH: Man, it would’ve been so different for me in this era because the floor is open. Back in the day, fours and fives plugged the paint because they wanted to post, but nowadays, everything is about three-point shooting. The fours and fives are on the perimeter now, so everything is more spread out and the lanes are wide open. For my game, that would’ve been great.
It feels like the NBA evolved so quickly. In the span of a few years, teams changed their game-plan and how they evaluated talent. Do you remember when you realized just how much the game was changing?
PH: Yeah, I do remember that moment. When I was coaching, I realized, “Wow, this game is going from big men that wanted to post (which are non-existent now) to all threes and lay-ups.” I started noticing when warm-up lines went from lay-ups to all threes. I was like, “Wow…” I never thought the game would evolve to this level, where the big man doesn’t want to post up anymore and the mid-range shot is almost obsolete because it’s either threes or layups. I remember it happening.
I think the people who watched you and played against you during your prime know how great you were, but how do you feel about the way you’re perceived? Do you feel like you’re underrated at all?
PH: Absolutely. I think some guys give credit, but not the majority. My first seven or eight years in the NBA can rival anyone who went into the Hall of Fame – the numbers, the style of play and the way I impacted the game, and I don’t know if I get enough credit for that. I was watching a show and they were talking about the Top 50 and they were all fantastic players, but I saw a couple of guys were saying that I wasn’t in the next 50 and I beg to differ with that. I’m sorry but when I was healthy, I’m definitely part of the next 50 – without a doubt.
What was it like to deal with those various injuries? I’m sure it was tough, knowing that you would’ve been one of the best players in the league if it weren’t for the injuries. How frustrating was that?
PH: It was very frustrating because things started getting chipped away from my game. First went my athleticism, then my speed, then the energy (that I would take for granted). When you start getting injured, you just become a totally different person. And playing with pain versus playing pain-free is an amazing [difference]. Obviously, when you’re healthy, you may have a little nick or tendinitis in your kneecap or a little ankle sprain or twist and other little things that happen here and there. But when you’re getting cut on and you’ve gone through surgery to repair a meniscus or an ACL or have microfracture surgery or things of that nature and then you have to go run and jump again, it’s very difficult. Those were very tough times.
What would you tell a player who is having a tough time battling injuries and trying to get back to full strength?
PH: Things happen and you just have to bounce back from it. It’s not about falling down, it’s about getting back up… It’s part of the game. It’s a physical game. Take your time getting back and make sure that you’re fully healthy. And when you do get back out on the court, continue to be who you are.
(Photo by Andy Lyons /Allsport)
You’ve said that when you and Shaquille O’Neal split up, your initial thought was, “There goes my shot of winning a championship.” If you had played most or all of your career with Shaq, do you think you’d get more credit? And what do you think would’ve happened if you two had stayed together?
PH: Yeah, definitely. Obviously, if I wouldn’t have gotten injured, I would have a different ending to my story. And I know hindsight is always 20/20, but I really feel like if Shaq would’ve stayed, I definitely would’ve been way more successful and gotten more credit because we would’ve won championships.
Did you and Shaq ever have a conversation later on where you talked through everything and worked it all out?
PH: Yeah, we had a conversation. We did that E:60 documentary together and we kind of talked it out a little bit and talked about “what if.” I’ve always appreciated Shaq; I always appreciated him and I’ve always let him know that if it weren’t for him, my career wouldn’t have gone the way that it did. He knows that about me, and he’s said the same thing to me as well.
You did the Lil Penny ads for Nike and it seemed like that took your fame and popularity to another level. Did that change your life as much as it seemed to people on the outside?
PH: Absolutely. Obviously, I was an All-NBA 1st Team guy before Lil Penny came around – that’s what brought on Lil Penny. But it got even larger when I got Lil Penny because even the people who weren’t basketball fans liked the comedy side of those commercials. So that brought a different fan to the game and to me, where even people who didn’t like basketball loved those Lil Penny commercials. It took me to a different stratosphere.
When you are recruiting young players, I’m sure they’ve seen some highlights, but are they typically aware of your game and your career?
PH: Yeah, I think YouTube has done me a huge service. A lot of these kids go on YouTube and watch my videos and they go, “Wow! I didn’t know you had game like that!” and things of that nature. So, yeah, YouTube keeps me relevant!
When did you realize that you wanted to become a coach and what was it like making that transition?
PH: I think it hit me maybe three or four years ago. I realized that it could be a possibility that I’d want to coach if the Memphis Tigers’ job became available. I knew that Coach Tubby Smith had a five-year deal, so I was thinking that it was going to be five years away. Obviously, that didn’t happen for him but for a couple years, so I made the move. What made me make the move was that I felt like the timing was perfect. I felt like I had built enough relationships and that I was ready for the job and what it brought. My mind was set on helping my school and my city and bringing the first national championship to the city of Memphis. All of that was motivation for me to get this job.
You’ve done a lot for Memphis over the years such as revitalizing the Bluff City Classic, providing funding to build the University of Memphis’ Sports Hall of Fame and other facilities and much more. It seems like that’s something that has always been a top priority for you.
PH: Yeah, for sure. I think that Memphis has been there for me throughout my entire basketball career. It started when I was in ninth grade, when I started doing interviews with local media. Then by 10th and 11th grade, I was nationally known. But I’ve always tried to put my city in a position to be successful. The city of Memphis has always supported me, from the ninth grade and on. I try to be a voice. I try to give money. I try to be seen and do things that are going to positively affect our city. I want to do my part as a citizen living here.
(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
I’ve known your assistant coach, Cody Toppert, for many years and we’ve talked about how your program puts a big emphasis on preparing players for the NBA. What are some of the things that you guys do at Memphis to prepare players for a professional career?
PH: Well, first of all, we take pride in what we do. The first thing is if a kid wants to play in the NBA and he comes to our school, he has to get the mentality first. The physical part of the game comes after that, but you have to get your mind right first. What are you going to dedicate yourself to do every day of the week to make yourself better? You have to dedicate yourself to give up the energy. We feel like we have the teaching and the development part, so if a kid gives us his energy and gives us his concentration and he’s dedicated to what we’re doing, then we can make him better. Obviously, we’re working on all aspects of the game. We’re putting him in position to improve his jump-shot, his ball-handling, his moves and counter-moves and things of that nature. We’re helping him understand the mental side of the game, thinking through everything and not just reacting. There’s so much that we try to teach these guys as we try to help them get to the next level. I think we can be very successful with that.
Are there any specific pieces of advice or lessons that you received during your playing days that you want to pass down to players now that you’re coaching?
PH: Yeah. Never get complacent. Never feel like you know it all, and never feel like you have it all. Never get complacent and you have to come in every day with a chip on your shoulder. You have something to prove every single day that you step out onto the floor and if you keep that mentality, then you’re going to be successful.
I know you’re a big fan of Zion Williamson. What do you think of his ceiling?
PH: His ceiling is very high. I just think he’s going to be a superstar in the league for a very long time, and I’m happy to be able to witness everything that he’s doing right now.
