“He studied my game”: Penny Hardaway shows appreciation to LeBron James for calling Memphis HC one of his favorite players
Memphis Tigers coach Penny Hardaway witnessed LeBron James' greatness firsthand, having played against the four-time NBA champion in the latter stages of his pro career. Hardaway showed his appreciation to the Los Angeles Lakers star in an interview with Memphis Grizzlies legends Tony Allen and Zach Randolph on their "Out the Mud Podcast," which premiered on YouTube on Dec. 5.
Allen brought up the topic after Hardaway addressed Trevor Ariza's statement comparing the former Orlando Magic star to Michael Jordan. Allen noted that the young NBA stars who came after Hardaway always showed love to the Memphis coach. Allen recalled that James mentioned in a past interview that Hardaway inspired him to use his left hand on the basketball court.
Hardaway opened up about his relationship with James and why he appreciates the NBA superstar calling him one of his favorites in the league.
"Bron and I, when we meet up, we chop it up. He’s another guy who appreciates the skill set and the IQ of the game. He studied my game. I talked to Rich Paul about that years ago," Hardaway said.
"LeBron has often shouted me out about being one of his favorite players. I appreciate that because I just tried to play the game at a high level and show up every night. There wasn’t load management because I didn’t want to let the fans down. I wanted to play every game because I knew the fans came to see me play and that paid off with the guys," Hardaway said.
Catch Penny Hardaway's remarks starting at the 1:03:21 timestamp below.
Comparing LeBron James and Penny Hardaway's 2024-25 seasons in the NBA and NCAA
LeBron James continues to be a force in the NBA, averaging 23.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in his 22nd season in the league. He also leads the Lakers in assists, averaging 9.1 dimes per contest.
James missed the Lakers' last two games against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a left foot injury. The Lakers are tied for 10th in the Western Conference with a 13-12 record. LA needs to find a way to start consistently winning, otherwise they will find themselves in danger of missing the playoffs.
Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers, on the other hand, have won seven of their first nine games this season. They finished second in the Maui Invitational after beating then-No. 2 UConn Huskies and the Michigan State Spartans in the knockout rounds. The Tigers have grand ambitions this season and are looking very promising.