"If Penny Hardaway never got hurt, people would be talking about him in the same breath" - Nick Anderson believes Penny Hardaway would have had a career like Kobe Bryant if not for injuries
Former Orlando Magic swingman Nick Anderson believes Penny Hardaway would have had a career like Kobe Bryant if not for injuries. Hardaway quickly became one of the best young stars in the league after getting drafted in 1993. However, a series of knee injuries derailed his career.
In an interview with Mat Issa of Basketball News, Anderson gave his insights about Hardaway's career. He compared the four-time All-Star with two LA Lakers legends, as well as a current OKC Thunder star.
"I know Kobe was Kobe, but if Penny Hardaway never got hurt, people would be talking about him in the same breath," Anderson said.
Penny Hardaway was certainly on a superstar trajectory. The Orlando Magic even viewed him as a more important player for their franchise over Shaquille O'Neal. He even got his own shoe line with Nike and was one of the most popular players in the 1990s.
But his comparison entering the NBA in 1993 was Magic Johnson. Both Hardaway and Johnson were tall guards who could make plays. Hardaway had more potential because he was a better scorer. After four All-Star appearances in five seasons, he suffered a left knee injury in 1998.
Hardaway was never the same after that knee injury. He had four more surgeries on his left knee that derailed his promising career. He was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1999 and ended up getting acquired by the New York Knicks in 2004.
After an injury-filled two-and-a-half seasons in New York, Hardaway sat out the 2006-07 season. The Miami Heat signed him in the summer of 2007, but he was waived after playing 16 games. He's now the coach of the Memphis Tigers. He has a coaching record of 85-43.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The Modern Day Penny Hardaway?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best young players in the NBA. The OKC Thunder star had the best year of his career last season, where he averaged 24.5 points, 5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. The Thunder view him as an important core of their team, signing the 24-year-old guard to a five-year, $172 million extension last summer.
Gilgeous-Alexander was compared to Penny Hardaway in the special piece on the Orlando Magic legend by Mat Issa of Basketball News. When Issa asked Nick Anderson if Gilgeous-Alexander was like his former teammate, he agreed due to their similar size.
"I like that. I like his size. ... Yeah, I agree with that," Anderson said.
Both Hardaway and Gilgeous-Alexander are tall guards, with Hardaway being two inches taller. They can score and make plays, with Hardaway possibly being the better passer. Gilgeous-Alexander, on the other hand, would have the edge in scoring.
Gilgeous-Alexander has also been eerily injury-prone the past two seasons. He played just 35 games in 2020-21 due to knee and ankle problems. He missed 26 games last season due to a recurring ankle injury. He'll miss this season's training camp due to an MCL sprain in his left knee.