"Took Kobe 600-900 days to become the Black Mamba" - Shaquille O'Neal compares Penny Hardaway's early excellence with Kobe Bryant's formative years
Shaquille O'Neal had the chance to play with Penny Hardaway early in his career before teaming up with Kobe Bryant for his first three championships. Hardaway could not sustain his brilliance due to injuries making him an almost forgotten name as one of the best. On the other hand, Bryant went on to win five titles and become a legend.
On “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” O’Neal had his former Orlando Magic teammate as a guest. They discussed a handful of things, including how their respective careers turned out.
Shaq had this to say about fans comparing Hardaway to the late Laker who died in a helicopter crash a few years ago:
“They [fans] ask me all the time, they say, ‘Who’s better, Penny or Kobe?’ And I’ll always say, Penny [Hardaway] was Kobe [Bryant] before Kobe. … They act like they don’t understand what I’m talking about.
“Penny came in Day 1 like this. Kobe first year: don’t start. Second year: didn’t start. Third year: upstairs saying, ‘Okay, hey, it’s time for him to play.’ It took him 600 to 900 days to become the Black Mamba.”
Penny Hardaway arrived in 1993 via a shocking trade. The Orlando Magic could have paired Shaquille O'Neal with Chris Webber. However, the Magic traded him to the Golden State Warriors for Hardaway. Orlando already had the most dominating inside force so it wanted a perimeter threat to complement O’Neal.
Hardaway finished second in the Rookie of the Year race to Webber and was a first-team All-NBA member in his second year. He was a starter whenever he was available to play.
Kobe Bryant started in seven out of 150 games in his first two years in the NBA. Bryant placed second to Danny Manning for the Sixth Man of the Year award in his sophomore season. The former high school star also earned his first All-Star berth that year. The LA Lakers excitedly made Bryant a starter alongside Shaquille O'Neal in the shooting guard’s third year.
Shaquille O'Neal forgot to consider the age gap between Penny Hardaway and Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal's claim that it took Kobe Bryant "600-900 days" to become the "Black Mamba" might have something to do with age. Bryant was only 18 years old and fresh out of Lower Merion High School when joined the LA Lakers. Had he polished his game in college, he would have stood out right out of the gate.
Meanwhile, Penny Hardaway spent two years in Memphis before he joined the pro ranks. When the 1993-94 season started, Hardaway was already 22 years old. The lanky 6-foot-7 guard quickly brought comparisons to Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and some of the best guards in NBA history with his size and skill.
Once Bryant got the experience he needed, there was no denying him. Once the LA Lakers’ three-peat ended (2000-2002), Shaquille O'Neal’s tag as the franchise cornerstone wasn’t as certain as before. “The Black Mamba” had come for that title.
Penny Hardaway was great right off the bat, but Kobe Bryant likely might have been just as good had he spent time in college like Hardaway.