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It’s been years since they last played together, but Shaquille O’Neal still has nothing but love for his former teammate, Penny Hardaway. O’Neal was asked to choose between Hardaway and Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, and his answer was golden.
O’Neal was an extremely expressive player when he was in the NBA. Part of what made his partnership with Hardaway work was because both had fun playing alongside each other. That explains his answer when asked between Hardaway and Irving. Both players are fun to watch, but only one of them had the chance to play with Shaq.
In a video posted on YouTube, O’Neal gave no further explanation as to why he chose his former teammate over Uncle Drew.
“Penny Hardaway, stop it. … My face is the explanation,” Shaq said as he drew in laughter.
The last time Penny Hardaway played in the NBA was in the 2007-08 season. Hardaway attempted to make a comeback in the league and joined the Miami Heat. However, he only played 16 games and was just a shell of his former self. He averaged only 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in that span.
Penny Hardaway was a problem for defenses
The Orlando Magic hit the jackpot back in the 1990s with back-to-back gems. In the 1992 draft, they selected Shaquille O’Neal, who became the most dominant player in the NBA. A year later, the Magic drafted Penny Hardaway, an oversized guard who became a fan-favorite by many.
Hardaway was one of the players who was hard to figure out. A 6-foot-7 guard that was quick and agile to will his way into the paint while being a threat to dish out to his open teammates. It was like the second coming of Magic Johnson.
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In his prime, Hardaway became a four-time All-Star before getting derailed by injuries. He was a sure 20-point per game scorer while also giving out seven assists a night. Defenses couldn’t keep up with Hardaway, and stopping him was an impossible task. On top of that, he was paired with Shaquille O’Neal, a beast inside the paint.
On the defensive side of the floor, the three-time All-NBA selection was a pest. During his time with the Magic, he averaged almost two steals a game. His quick hands gave the team tons of chances in the open floor.
Hardaway was an efficient shooter as well. While in Orlando, he knocked down 47.2% of his shots. His smart shots made him a reliable scorer and earned him the top spot in the league at the time. As an outside threat, however, he wasn’t that much of a help, only shooting 31.1% from the 3-point area. But that wasn’t much of a big deal as Dennis Scott was there to cover his inefficiencies downtown.
A healthy Penny Hardaway was a problem, which explains why Shaq chose him over Kyrie Irving.
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