As an all-time MJ fan I absolutely loved Penny's game. I agree 100% that he was something special. Too bad that his career didn't last long, he was joy to watch.
I am a big fan of MJ and Penny. Back in the mid 90s whenever their teams clash, it was a joy to watch!! You know it's going to be gritty, full of flare, and just awesome awesome basketball!! I love 90s era basketball
they all are built similar and play similar. I think its safe to say anybody with that long frame and is a slasher / athletic type will tear up their joints. Pippen is right there with them in terms of build and had lots of knee issues later, but he worked with Tim Grover, MJ's trainer
A lot of cats don't understand how truly special Penny was. He could literally do it all, and his passing out him on another level. Orlando should have gotten a ring or 2 with that squad. Hate that injuries robbed him of a truly hall of fame career
If Shaq had stayed on the Magic and Penny was healthy they’d have been a dynasty for sure. Shaq at his peak didn’t need a lot. He won the title when Kobe was dropping 20 a game in 99. By the time Kobe was on the brink of his prime a year later they went 15 and 1 in the post season 😅 Having a guy like Penny by his side for 10-15 years would’ve had to have led to a bunch of chips.
Who say he was really injured... Maybe he had orders to move out the way for another player. People missed it at that time but should be able to see it clearly now with lebron.
Penny was incredible but he is actually a little overrated too. Players who career ended early usually end up overrated because of the, "imagine what he couldn't been" nostalgia. Hardaway: 15.2ppg, 5.0apg, 4.5rpg, 45% FG
Penny Hardaway! My favorite point guard from the 90s and one of my favorite players overall! He was a huge part of my adolescence in the 90s! If it wasn't for those damn injuries, he woulda been a surefire first ballot Hall Of Famer and one of the GOATS! Dear Penny, if you're reading this, thanks for the memories!
Penny hardaway Ken Griffey jr. Grant Hill Bo Jackson so many great athletes from the 90s who got hurt and cut their prime down or ended their career flat-out said if you think about the 90s superstars in multiple sports that's careers ended way-too-early Eric lindros is another one
Penny is so undervalued in NBA history. He could do everything at an elite level. Penny & Shaq or Payton and Kemp were always my go-to's in NBA Jam! Ahh the memories!
All time favorite player/person. Smooth, skilled, explosive, humble, high iq. Came in like this rookie year. Perfectly balanced poetry in motion. Best signature shoes...
Loved Penny. He was a beast and that is one player that I loved watching when he came in the league after MJ. Damn injuries stopped him from climbing to the top.
Penny came into the league a star. One of the best ever to play the game. He dunked on all the bigs and could pass just like Magic. Despite his unfortunate injured career he makes my top 20 players list. He’d be a star in any era, for sure.
@@steveno7058 Don't think you're giving sufficient context to the era that Penny played in, nor the fact that he was immediately dominant from his rookie year. There's no telling how good he could have been because injuries hit him well before he even had the chance to reach his prime.
One more thing about Penny's game (touched on it a litte before).... being a small forward in college, so his low-post game was on point. He was a joy to watch playing the point in the NBA, feeding everyone the ball on the court including the homeless; but then, he reverted back to small forward and posted up the smaller guards in the low post toasting them with that amazing fadeaway. I absolutely loved it when he went into the low-post and cooked the opposing guards (it wasn't even fair)
I’m in my Late 30’s I got to say that Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill were those Dudes Before there injuries 💯✅🏆Man I Miss watching the Games Live on TNT🧨 WGN, ABC and NBC back in the day❤
His post-up game is so underrated. Inside pivot, drop step spin left hand jump hook from yo point guard is crazy. no look touch passes in traffic. He was too big for Mike in the post and too quick for Pip on the perimeter. Penny had amazingly quick feet for a guy his size, helped him stay shifty but on balance, something current guys like D'lo struggle with. He was the ultimate matchup nightmare
how does he compare to guys today in those respects? Doncic, SGA, Ja, Jimmy, Kawhi, Simmons, PG13 all come to mind as similar but kinda different packages. He wasn't so physical. His height was more of an advantage then than now. He looked really fast and explosive at Memphis but played more methodically and with his head like a true PG in the NBA as I recall, but I was a teenager then. Maybe he just had that Magic/LeBron/Jokic thing of being super connected to every player on the floor more than the guys I named as comp's. He was like a Grant Hill or Shane Battier with true point handles and transition play.
@@MessyManic what made Penny special with a capital S was that he was an ACTUAL point guard in a wing's body. He didn't just bring the ball up like Grant or Scottie. He would set up plays, get guys in position and then make sure the play gets run to completion. He was what you want out of a classic pg, an on-the-court-coach. Then you factor in his natural scoring ability and his Magic-like court vision... I mean, by comparison, a lot of the guys you listed idolized T-Mac, who modeled his game after Penny. All of us did. He was the complete package. More athletic than doncic, better shooter than SGA, bigger than Ja, quicker than Jimmy. Simmons and Battier couldn't hold Pennys jockstrap NOW, let along in his prime. AND he was a great on-ball and weak side defender. Like, literally the only weakness he had was his bum knee - which got mismanaged by Orlando b/c the Devos' are (still) f'in idiots and Florida is football country, so management surrounded him with cheap 2nd hand trash and the coaches and medical staff ran him into the ground before he could heal properly.
I don’t think I’ve seen a comparable player to penny yet. The way he moved was so fluid and easy. Kinda like how Barry sanders was so unique in his shiftiness (not comparing the 2 but that there’s no one else like Barry imo).
People REALLY forget how elite young Penny Hardaway was. He was a matchup nightmare. Him and Tracy McGrady had similar games and Grant Hill comes to mind as well. They could shoot over you, post you up, go by you with quick first steps, pass the rock and dunk on you, your squad and your big men. Triple threats FOR REAL. Young Penny was the truth before the injuries.
This was when MJ came out of retirement and was very rusty…the following year the Bulls went 72-10 and won the title and wnet on to get there second 3 Pete…Hardaway wasn’t cooking nobody in 95-96 once MJ went through training camp I promise
@@brianscott3503 i think the best thing the Orlando Magic with Penny, Shaq, DScott and Nick Anderson did was PISS MJ OFF after they beat the Bulls in that conference finals. He went into that Summer a man POSSESSED and came back a different animal with Pippin, Rodman and those boys. Probably, the best thing to happen to MJ at that time was Penny and the Magic.
Watched the Memphis games to see Penny. You knew he was going to go into the league and make an immediate impact. Always repect for Penny and Lil' Penny!
@@efernwalker9366 Indeed!! That's one hell ve tribute!! THAT speaks volumes....... beyond measure!! Penny gave EVERYBODY problems!! Including MJ. And it's undeniable!! #Salute
Not from me. I'm 43 years old now and Penny still my 2nd favorite player ever. Patrick Ewing is 1 cause Knicks fan. Scottie Pippen 3rd. Loved Penny and Scottie's game as a young teen. Penny was that good. Still had some solid moments post injury playing for Phoenix.
@@dannynhl9441 Ewing was dope...but I would have to pick Olajuwon over Ewing. I'm 41... I remember the Manson, Oakley and Starks days... nothin' to Fu*k with....My favorite player is Rasheed Wallace. I'm from Indiana so I'll just say Miller in 95/8 points in 9 seconds.
@@calvinmack7124 Oh no doubt. Hakeem was the best center I ever watched. Ewing just my favorite player. I always say if Chicago got past Orlando in 1995 playoffs Jordan would have an L on his finals record because no one was stopping Hakeem that playoff run. Wemby the rookie reminds me a bit of Penny and Hakeem rolled into one with a 3 point shot. Hope that kid evolves with no injuries.
To me Penny was the first 90's NBA star. He had the swag, the flow, the style. The cool jerseys and sneakers. I was and still am a Knicks fan but that Magic team was fun to watch as a kid. If Shaq stayed and Penny never got hurt they would have ran the East for years once they both entered their prime. Before Iverson or Kobe there was Penny.
@@LastLetterisZed702 he didn’t say better flat out if we’re talking about the same comments he made. He was better in some aspects of his game and definitely better at making his teammates better. You’d never see Penny jacking up 40 shots and making only 15 of them. Plus we never got to see Penny’s full potential and can only imagine him around his 7th year while still being an all nba player
Has that Griffey vibe when I think of Penny. Those two in their respective times were the hottest thing on the market. And still are to a certain degree.
Without injuries, Penny could have been one of the all time great point guards. Him and Shaq were on road to victory. Still one of my favorite players for sure.
Penny should've changed his game to play on the ground similar to Magic Johnson. His court vision and IQ was good enough to do that, but kept insisting on using his athleticism which was a horrible combination to his joints with those long limbs. Bad formula and Grant Hill would agree. They'd no longer be dunking on people or guarding the opponent's offensive threats, but it would've made them both 10 time all stars.
Yeah. It reminds me of Grant Hill. Another guy would have become one of the greatest if he had not of gotten injured. I’ve debated other people on who was the better of the two between Penney and Grant Hill. I always favored Grant Hill but I don’t know. Penny was a monster too.
@@dtateiii Personal, I prefer Penny's style of play but Hill was a monster too. They played different positions and it feels weird to compare them. I'd compare Penny to Magic and Hill to Pippen or Lebron. It is sad though, both guys coulda easily made the top 75 or better.
a total Sliding Doors moment. they had a team nucleus there that could have possibly held on to Shaq if Penny was there with him, or who knows, maybe both would've been Lakers and Kobe would be in Charlotte on his way to the Heat or Bulls or Knicks.
@@MessyManic There are a million shoulda woulda could moments in basketball. We can play that game all day. What if Houston had of drafted Jordan number one overall. Magic's career was cut short because of HIV. What if he had never gotten HIV and was able to keep playing. If he would have won 2 or 3 more rings he would have 7 or 8 and we might possibly be ranking him as the greatest player of all time even over Jordan. What if the Malace in the Palace had never taken place? I think Reggie Miller would have won a championship that year and one ring would have changed his whole legacy. What if James Harden had of been able to defeat the Golden State warriors and make it to the finals the year when they had Golden States against the ropes? Or if Oklahoma had of defeated Golden State when they also had them against the ropes the years before Durant went to go play with them? We can do this all day.
Penny was a unicorn talented player that was a great 3level scorer and extraordinary passer. His lethal midpost game made him a match up problem for most pgs 2s and SFs .
Yup. That passing and vision was just unfair to pair with his scoring versatility. He had tremendous instincts and anticipation. He was a better playmaker than Lebron imo. Before injuries.
Penny was and is a Dope Player and a Outstanding Brother!!! Never had any problems on or off the court. Upstanding, should be the Ambassador for the NBA!!!
Penny was a Beast!! Penny came into the NBA as a rookie killing guys, young people if you want to see a guy play with all the fundamentals, etc., he was that good; Penny was box office, all his commercials, etc. young guys, if you have not seen Penny Hardaway highlights before he got hurt you need to go look at them. Jordan and Pippen had problems guarding this guy he was That good a 6 foot 7 point guard that would dunk on you and shoot threes, no one was like that and I have not seen no one with the skills he had today. if Penny wouldn’t gotten hurt he most definitely would’ve been a top 10 all-time in the NBA he was just a special.
Great video, he was my favorite player too and Tim Hardaway. I saw him at Memphis State, Penny was a special player. 99-00 Penny went to work vs Lakers in playoffs and than got hurt again, great video Ras.
I'm telling yuh, this basketball young talent had a maturity for the game, heading to the top of his time.... It's sad, if that man had more years of good health, nothing was there to stop Anfernee except major injuries which is every basketballers nightmare. Hardaway still resonants as one of the biggest what if's even until this day!
The best "proof" of how unique he was... is that, until this day, there hasn't been a "next Penny Hardaway". You can see players with many similarities with those gods from 90s and 2000s, but, apart from Lebron (and even James is way different), I don't really remember many players who had that body, those skills and that magic with his passing abilities and his mindset. He was so genuine.
Good point, Durant is the closet to me, but even at his best he, Durant didn't possess the fluidity, quickness and ball handling that Penny had. Plus Penny took it to the rack even with his slender frame. He was special.
agree, but also like MJ and LeBron, you can see more players after him modeling their game to be similar at least. and coaches letting it happen, as in tall guys playing the point. Guys like SGA, Doncic are similar in size, style and skill, but don't have the same impact in a more talent saturated league of today. There's not a lot of short or unathletic bad defenders in rotations like the bottom half of the league had in the 90s. Like Scott Skiles and BJ Armstrong for instance. It's all love though. Athletic greatness is in everyone that sniffs the League.
@@MessyManicyou and others that have this thought process are wacky as hell if you cannot see the league still has plenty of "ok" role players, just as many as yesteryear.
I WAS A CHICAGO KID LOVE PIPPEN A MJ BUT I HAD TO ALWAYS RESPECT PENNY HARDAWAY NO DOUBT THIS GUY WAS AWESOME AND GREAT COMMERCIALS BEFORE KOBE CAME THIS GUY WAS THE ONE SO SAD THAT HE GOT HURT AND WAS NEVER THE SAME THATS THE BIGGEST WHAT IF EVER IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAD HAPPEN HAD SHAQ JUST STOOD WITH THE MAGIC
My high school days were from 1992 to 1997. Grade 8 to grade 12. I probably could not have grown up and played in a better era. I was a baller too. Watched every NBA highlight VHS tape I could get.
True ,honestly better than even kobe, coz he was naturally talented, lightning quick, great passer, he was like a mix of mj and magic....and humble too
Penny and Derrick Rose had a LOT in common (College Alma Mater, fast track towards becoming an elite player/future Hall Of Fame player in the NBA......derailed by injuries).
Penny was one of the biggest "what if's"in NBA history! Orlando Penny was one of my Favorite PGs of All time (right there with Magic Johnson)! Big BTM fan here, thanks for all the videos, best wishes from Ireland!
That's how great MJ is. I admit Penny was special but Michael is such an icon that players will take what they can get when it comes to Michael. The highlight of Penny's career was being 22-23 year old with fresh legs giving the bizness to a 34-35 year old MJ. Kobe also, based his greatness on sucessfully copying MJ's game during the second half of MJ's career. Neither Penny or Kobe would have stayed on the court with a young, black cat quick and agile, jump out of the gym Air Jordan. Penny would have been effective but he wasn't that strong mentally and MJs defense would have ate him up. Kobe didn't even have the physical tools to keep up with a young MJ.
Penny should be in the HOF. Plenty of Hall of Famers have worse resumes. It’s the “basketball hall of fame” and he was a national high school player of the year, college all American, 4 time all star, 3 time all NBA, all rookie team, rookie game MVP, Olympic gold medalist, and always played well in the playoffs. He might be the only hall of fame eligible player with 2 all nba first team selections who is not in the hall of fame.
Penny was just special. If not for his injuries, it could be argued that he would be the 2nd best point guard of all time behind Magic. Next to MJ, Penny was my guy.
Loved Penny Hardaway and was lucky enough to see him play against the Pacers in '94-'95 right before MJ came back. Still in my top-5 all-time. He was a legend in the making before injuries got the better of him.
The very first clip in this video, Penny is showing how to properly do a step back jumper WITHOUT traveling unlike practically every player who does it in the current NBA.
Good to see someone giving Penny Hardaway his flowers while alive..... Small Forward in College converted into a great point guard in the NBA. Loved this guy game..... in fact, Michael Jordan stole his low-post fadeaway jumper
Penny made everyone stand up & take notice of him. I really enjoyed watching him play. MJ had his measure when it mattered though & they rarely matched up against one another.
Penny had his 2 secs moment against MJ in the 95/96 season. But then his Airness took it personal...and we all know how the story ended. Just in case some of us may have forgotten, it was 7-0 in favor of MJ and the Bulls the rest of the season... including a clinical SWEEP in the playoffs. So much for Penny cooking MJ, huh!! 😂😂
Cherry picked highlights to support the title. In that 95 playoff series that went 7 games MJ out scored him all 7 games. With some scores like 40 to 19, 38 to 20, 39-19….
@@donnellbennett2038 Nah mane.. He never ever talked about Penny, like he gave him problems. Mike was baiting him with every shot Penny took against him and when it came to crunch time, he put the clamps on him. The only time Penny gave him any tip of trouble is when Jordan came back. That's it. You better go take a look at some real video of them playing homie..
I witnessed him cook MJ, however give Mike credit for even guarding him because Penny was a PG. He was hella quick with the handles. MJ won in the end 🤣
He was my favorite too growing up. I still got his rookie cards and over 100 different cards of Penny. He was very similar to Jordan is size and weight. His style was different though. I like how NBA2k23 got his hand gestures down when he dribbles the ball. He will allways be my favorite NBA player.
But this was the last game that Penny Ever won against MJ ever. The bulls were 4-0 and Orlando gave them their first lost during the 195-96 season the 72-10 year. Also penny was a bad boy but this was one game. The rest MJ owned Penny and the Magic beating them for the next 3 season including a playoff sweep.
Shout out for showing Penny's post game. His shoulder fake was next level. He was so quick and long, that he could fake, then skip to one side and the defense was helpless after that.
Great vid. I could go on and on about that Penny v Mike match up in the 90's. I'll say this,. growing up in Chi, I watched MJ start as an athlete then grow as player, adding the 3, the fade away, getting to the line, and other vet moves. Then Penny basically came into the league with the athleticism AND the vet savy moves and knew we had an issue. Damn he was fun to watch! I really think his downfall was ego. He signed one of the largest contracts in NBA history at the time and had the nerve to say the team "didn't show him no love." Then he hated on Shaq when it was his turn to get paid. He wanted to be The Man. If he had shared that light with Shaq, he could have still had a chance at some chips, even with some injuries... still wouldn't have gotten them with Mike in the league but the dream would have lived 😂.
even as a gsw fan i can never get enough penny hardaway. love webber! one of my all time favs but also penny. would have loved to see shaq an c webb play together.
Penny Hardaway, T Mac and grant hill all played for my favorite team the Orlando magic. It’s heartbreaking to see these players suffered through injuries. Always the what ifs? For these 3.
I've noticed every sport seems to go through the same phases. Phase 1: The everyman era. No pay. Guys walk in off of odd jobs & play the sport alongside other jobs & it's almost more of a hobby than a profession. Not many teams. A few stars - some maybe could even play in the modern era but their competition level was low so they tended to stand out. Lack of regulation & tons of different leagues mean that standardization is hard & it's nearly impossible to know how each player would have measured up against anyone else. Stats either didn't exist, weren't recorded, or were lost to time. The ones that did exist - broke tons of records that stand to this day & just seem ridiculous & will never happen again. Rules were changed because of them. Think Babe Ruth, George Mikan, George Blanda, Dick Lane, Bobby Jones etc. Phase 2: The Classic Era. The popularity of the sport begins to grow. Some top stars finally receive 6 figure checks. The new stars finally have move sets they invent which innovate the sport partially their own & partially from the older players. The game becomes more refined. It's finally a decent living. It's highly competitive for this reason. All Star games matter. It's this era in which many people will argue the "best & purest" version of the game is played. The players seemed "tougher" & willing to do anything to win. Some records are made in this era that stand for 40-60 years. Think Roger Maris, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Pele, The Iron Curtain, Jim Brown, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Rose, etc. Phase 3: The Superstar Era. Most people would call this "peak" sports. The 1st million dollar contracts are given. The best athletes are drawn into the sport from all over the world. The game seems to grab the attention of the zeitgeist of anyone around it. For the first time in a long time some old records are broken, & as a whole there is more talent on any given team than every before. The battles are long, fierce, & rivalries are brutal. The leagues change their rules to adapt to this newer version to capitalize on the cash grab, & while the game is fundamentally different from the early days, & looks more like it's "modern form" - it's still a good balance of offense & defense, & fun to watch. Arguably the all time GOATs come from this era in most sports. Pay explodes from 1 million dollars to 20 million dollars a year+. Think Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Junior Seau, Shannon Sharpe, David Beckham, etc Phase 4: The Modern Era: Billionaires are born. Some of the older guard from the previous era start becoming billionaires & some newer stars start making $500 mil contracts & will no doubt become easy billionaires. The stars are "too rich" to risk their health playing hard nosed defense. The game opens up its offense. People bemoan that All Star games are a joke. No one plays until the ends of games, the playoffs, or "when it matters." This era is often described as "soft." Players are able to play longer because of the easier schedules & play style so some records get broken which makes the younger generations think of these players as better than the older ones: See Tom Brady, LeBron James, Alexander Ovechkin, etc. The game is almost unrecognizable from any previous era. I think it's safe to say that the overall trend here stand true for all sports, & because of that - certain things can be taken from this. The WNBA is in Phase 2 & slowly moving into Phase 3. The kids today & growing up thinking they can specialize in it & dunk from a young age. The women are growing bigger & bigger & training like men. They will probably battle it out for higher earnings in the coming years - making the sport more entertaining than the men's sport - which relies on soft 3's. Hockey also hasn't yet become that "massive USA sport." It seems stuck in reverse almost. Phase 3 happened in the 90s with a TON of stars, & never did make it to Phase 4. Strikes, lockouts, & financial problems slowed the sport, & it still retains most of it's purity despite rule changes softening it a bit & opening the offense. Football remains hot, but should dwindle in the coming years as Hockey is an overall more physical sport & has everything Football & Basketball does not. As the younger generation gets older they will experience what we older people know - that their greats aren't as good as they thought & that the more we learn about the past - the more we respect it. Videos like this help to show that guys like Hardaway could probably have had a MUCH better/longer career today than in the 90s. Conversely he wouldn't have lasted much in the 70s - although he would have burned BRIGHTER for just as long due to the raw talent & lack of depth on the rosters. I wish more people would put these things into perspective when having debates about players, GOATS, & eras. If they understood this from a top down perspective they wouldn't get caught up the in minutia of rings or MVPs, or even some stats, & would simply understand that it's all about a player's skillset compared to his era, then the era compared to another era. Both calculations can be made separately & a final number CAN be made at the end of that equation - IF you're willing to do the breakdowns & take the time. Hope this long post make some people reassess the way they approach the "X" vs "Y" debates so we can have more productive takes in the future instead of the same mundane BS that 99% seem to do.
As an all-time MJ fan I absolutely loved Penny's game. I agree 100% that he was something special. Too bad that his career didn't last long, he was joy to watch.
Most us kids locked onto to Penny when MJ retired. Those magic teams were a blast to watch.
So wait.. even as an MJ fan you can still manage to see talent that is very much present? WOW. Keep this man alive.
Actually his career did last long.... He just didn't have the type of career that he was projected to have because of his injuries
@@John-qq6sbpenny was special, i dont think kids today understand that
Same Jordan fan and my second is penny for me too bad he couldn’t get to the level he should of reached
I am a big fan of MJ and Penny. Back in the mid 90s whenever their teams clash, it was a joy to watch!! You know it's going to be gritty, full of flare, and just awesome awesome basketball!! I love 90s era basketball
McGrady, Grant Hill Drose and Penny, damn I wish they could have fulfilled their full potential. They were on a different level.
Somehow the Magic (needed to) bet on all of them.
@@damac5136 Darn, you are right, they all played for the Majic at some point. Great memory.
they all are built similar and play similar. I think its safe to say anybody with that long frame and is a slasher / athletic type will tear up their joints. Pippen is right there with them in terms of build and had lots of knee issues later, but he worked with Tim Grover, MJ's trainer
Yeah, but they did reach their full potential and quickly folded, like a 1 hit wonder
A healthy Grant Hill is probably one of the best of all time.
A lot of cats don't understand how truly special Penny was. He could literally do it all, and his passing out him on another level. Orlando should have gotten a ring or 2 with that squad. Hate that injuries robbed him of a truly hall of fame career
A lot of dogs too
🐈 🏀
If Shaq had stayed on the Magic and Penny was healthy they’d have been a dynasty for sure. Shaq at his peak didn’t need a lot. He won the title when Kobe was dropping 20 a game in 99. By the time Kobe was on the brink of his prime a year later they went 15 and 1 in the post season 😅 Having a guy like Penny by his side for 10-15 years would’ve had to have led to a bunch of chips.
Who say he was really injured...
Maybe he had orders to move out the way for another player. People missed it at that time but should be able to see it clearly now with lebron.
Penny was incredible but he is actually a little overrated too. Players who career ended early usually end up overrated because of the, "imagine what he couldn't been" nostalgia.
Hardaway: 15.2ppg, 5.0apg, 4.5rpg, 45% FG
Penny Hardaway! My favorite point guard from the 90s and one of my favorite players overall! He was a huge part of my adolescence in the 90s! If it wasn't for those damn injuries, he woulda been a surefire first ballot Hall Of Famer and one of the GOATS! Dear Penny, if you're reading this, thanks for the memories!
Totally, agree.
Penny hardaway Ken Griffey jr. Grant Hill Bo Jackson so many great athletes from the 90s who got hurt and cut their prime down or ended their career flat-out said if you think about the 90s superstars in multiple sports that's careers ended way-too-early Eric lindros is another one
Maan you took me back, ain't nothing like them 90s bro
same here I was 11 rocking his jersey
Yeah i really liked him too
Smooth yet explosive
Penny is so undervalued in NBA history. He could do everything at an elite level. Penny & Shaq or Payton and Kemp were always my go-to's in NBA Jam! Ahh the memories!
All time favorite player/person. Smooth, skilled, explosive, humble, high iq. Came in like this rookie year. Perfectly balanced poetry in motion. Best signature shoes...
Penny was my favorite player in highschool. I still got the 1st Penny's
That reverse dunk in Blue Chips. Who remembers!
Hell just remembering Blue Chips!!!
Underrated movie! I grew up on that
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
I remember them butching up wanting to go home
@@J-Bo-hr9zp make sure you’re at practice.
Loved Penny. He was a beast and that is one player that I loved watching when he came in the league after MJ. Damn injuries stopped him from climbing to the top.
Penny came into the league a star. One of the best ever to play the game. He dunked on all the bigs and could pass just like Magic. Despite his unfortunate injured career he makes my top 20 players list. He’d be a star in any era, for sure.
Top 20? Not even close. Even in his prime he was only a 20/7 guy who shot 30% from 3FG. All NBA level but nowhere close to top 20 ever
@@steveno7058 that's why he said his top 20... reading is fundamental
@@braxtonterry8116 can you read? He said top 20 all time. Penny only had 3 All NBA seasons. He isn’t top 20
@@steveno7058dude Penny was a monster. Give the man his flowers.
@@steveno7058 Don't think you're giving sufficient context to the era that Penny played in, nor the fact that he was immediately dominant from his rookie year. There's no telling how good he could have been because injuries hit him well before he even had the chance to reach his prime.
One more thing about Penny's game (touched on it a litte before).... being a small forward in college, so his low-post game was on point. He was a joy to watch playing the point in the NBA, feeding everyone the ball on the court including the homeless; but then, he reverted back to small forward and posted up the smaller guards in the low post toasting them with that amazing fadeaway. I absolutely loved it when he went into the low-post and cooked the opposing guards (it wasn't even fair)
Yes I'm here as a witness to acknowledge how great of a player Penny was
All time favorite player/person. Smooth, skilled, explosive, humble, high iq. Came in like this rookie year. Best signature shoes...
I’m in my Late 30’s I got to say that Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill were those Dudes Before there injuries 💯✅🏆Man I Miss watching the Games Live on TNT🧨 WGN, ABC and NBC back in the day❤
Also T-Mac Tracy McGrady
Also B-Roy
I remember the late TNT games and the old jerseys too. NBA was lit back then.
exactly this!
D-Rose was a monster before injuries.. Need proof…youngest to win NBA MVP award.
Thanks for the Penny highlights. A huge fan!
His post-up game is so underrated. Inside pivot, drop step spin left hand jump hook from yo point guard is crazy. no look touch passes in traffic. He was too big for Mike in the post and too quick for Pip on the perimeter. Penny had amazingly quick feet for a guy his size, helped him stay shifty but on balance, something current guys like D'lo struggle with. He was the ultimate matchup nightmare
how does he compare to guys today in those respects? Doncic, SGA, Ja, Jimmy, Kawhi, Simmons, PG13 all come to mind as similar but kinda different packages. He wasn't so physical. His height was more of an advantage then than now. He looked really fast and explosive at Memphis but played more methodically and with his head like a true PG in the NBA as I recall, but I was a teenager then. Maybe he just had that Magic/LeBron/Jokic thing of being super connected to every player on the floor more than the guys I named as comp's. He was like a Grant Hill or Shane Battier with true point handles and transition play.
@@MessyManic what made Penny special with a capital S was that he was an ACTUAL point guard in a wing's body. He didn't just bring the ball up like Grant or Scottie. He would set up plays, get guys in position and then make sure the play gets run to completion. He was what you want out of a classic pg, an on-the-court-coach.
Then you factor in his natural scoring ability and his Magic-like court vision...
I mean, by comparison, a lot of the guys you listed idolized T-Mac, who modeled his game after Penny. All of us did. He was the complete package.
More athletic than doncic, better shooter than SGA, bigger than Ja, quicker than Jimmy. Simmons and Battier couldn't hold Pennys jockstrap NOW, let along in his prime. AND he was a great on-ball and weak side defender.
Like, literally the only weakness he had was his bum knee - which got mismanaged by Orlando b/c the Devos' are (still) f'in idiots and Florida is football country, so management surrounded him with cheap 2nd hand trash and the coaches and medical staff ran him into the ground before he could heal properly.
@@MessyManic classic Penny game ruclips.net/video/XCYzEfCWybQ/видео.html
I don’t think I’ve seen a comparable player to penny yet. The way he moved was so fluid and easy. Kinda like how Barry sanders was so unique in his shiftiness (not comparing the 2 but that there’s no one else like Barry imo).
Ouch, that's truth
Love your channel. Brings back so many memories. We definitely grew up in the greatest era of everything from comedy to sports
People REALLY forget how elite young Penny Hardaway was. He was a matchup nightmare. Him and Tracy McGrady had similar games and Grant Hill comes to mind as well. They could shoot over you, post you up, go by you with quick first steps, pass the rock and dunk on you, your squad and your big men. Triple threats FOR REAL. Young Penny was the truth before the injuries.
Yea Mac modeled his game after Penny
This was when MJ came out of retirement and was very rusty…the following year the Bulls went 72-10 and won the title and wnet on to get there second 3 Pete…Hardaway wasn’t cooking nobody in 95-96 once MJ went through training camp I promise
@@brianscott3503 i think the best thing the Orlando Magic with Penny, Shaq, DScott and Nick Anderson did was PISS MJ OFF after they beat the Bulls in that conference finals. He went into that Summer a man POSSESSED and came back a different animal with Pippin, Rodman and those boys. Probably, the best thing to happen to MJ at that time was Penny and the Magic.
You didn’t watch the video then. As he said, he put 36 points on Jordan and Pippen’s head and gave them one of the 10 losses that season.
@@tommytremble3910 Actually, I did watch the video. I don't know what out of my comment would lead you to think otherwise.
Watched the Memphis games to see Penny. You knew he was going to go into the league and make an immediate impact. Always repect for Penny and Lil' Penny!
Penny Hardaway.
Treadwell Eagles.
Memphis Tennessee.
Tbis video brought tears to my eyes as a Memphian getting to watch him Penny in high school.
Penny was a one of a kind Dime!! He has the respect from ALL of his contemporaries........ TRUST ME!!! ALL OF THEM....... INCLUDING MJ. PERIOD.
Yeah tha only other shoes he wore in a game was pennys
@@efernwalker9366 Indeed!! That's one hell ve tribute!! THAT speaks volumes....... beyond measure!! Penny gave EVERYBODY problems!! Including MJ. And it's undeniable!! #Salute
Preach
People always think I'm crazy when I talk about Penny.....he was the truth!!!!
I'll even go as far to say if it wasn't for the injuries, he would be top 5 greatest players of all time🤷🏿♂️... Bro could do it all...
People who think you’re crazy are either to young to know, biased, or don’t know the game…
Not from me. I'm 43 years old now and Penny still my 2nd favorite player ever. Patrick Ewing is 1 cause Knicks fan. Scottie Pippen 3rd. Loved Penny and Scottie's game as a young teen. Penny was that good. Still had some solid moments post injury playing for Phoenix.
@@dannynhl9441 Ewing was dope...but I would have to pick Olajuwon over Ewing. I'm 41... I remember the Manson, Oakley and Starks days... nothin' to Fu*k with....My favorite player is Rasheed Wallace.
I'm from Indiana so I'll just say Miller in 95/8 points in 9 seconds.
@@calvinmack7124 Oh no doubt. Hakeem was the best center I ever watched. Ewing just my favorite player. I always say if Chicago got past Orlando in 1995 playoffs Jordan would have an L on his finals record because no one was stopping Hakeem that playoff run. Wemby the rookie reminds me a bit of Penny and Hakeem rolled into one with a 3 point shot. Hope that kid evolves with no injuries.
I feel the same way as you on Penny. He has always been my favorite "what could have been" player.
Penny made me love watching the Nba again when Jordan retired the first time. He was the truth and a special talent. A true joy to watch.
To me Penny was the first 90's NBA star. He had the swag, the flow, the style. The cool jerseys and sneakers. I was and still am a Knicks fan but that Magic team was fun to watch as a kid. If Shaq stayed and Penny never got hurt they would have ran the East for years once they both entered their prime. Before Iverson or Kobe there was Penny.
He was literally cookin Mike! I remember those games being a Magic fan since Shaq those were the good ol' days!
Thanks for making this video man! Penny was a monster in his prime.
During the 2023 Playoffs, Shaq mentioned straight out, that Penny was a better basketball player than Kobe.
@@LastLetterisZed702 I remember. I agree Penny came into the league better than kobe before the injuries.
@@LastLetterisZed702 he didn’t say better flat out if we’re talking about the same comments he made. He was better in some aspects of his game and definitely better at making his teammates better. You’d never see Penny jacking up 40 shots and making only 15 of them.
Plus we never got to see Penny’s full potential and can only imagine him around his 7th year while still being an all nba player
Penny seemed more like a Tracy Mcgrady type player than Earvin Johnson.
Has that Griffey vibe when I think of Penny. Those two in their respective times were the hottest thing on the market. And still are to a certain degree.
100% agree with you... He was special. Awesome video. Man. Thanks.
Without injuries, Penny could have been one of the all time great point guards. Him and Shaq were on road to victory. Still one of my favorite players for sure.
Penny should've changed his game to play on the ground similar to Magic Johnson. His court vision and IQ was good enough to do that, but kept insisting on using his athleticism which was a horrible combination to his joints with those long limbs. Bad formula and Grant Hill would agree.
They'd no longer be dunking on people or guarding the opponent's offensive threats, but it would've made them both 10 time all stars.
Yeah. It reminds me of Grant Hill. Another guy would have become one of the greatest if he had not of gotten injured. I’ve debated other people on who was the better of the two between Penney and Grant Hill. I always favored Grant Hill but I don’t know. Penny was a monster too.
@@dtateiii Personal, I prefer Penny's style of play but Hill was a monster too. They played different positions and it feels weird to compare them. I'd compare Penny to Magic and Hill to Pippen or Lebron. It is sad though, both guys coulda easily made the top 75 or better.
a total Sliding Doors moment. they had a team nucleus there that could have possibly held on to Shaq if Penny was there with him, or who knows, maybe both would've been Lakers and Kobe would be in Charlotte on his way to the Heat or Bulls or Knicks.
@@MessyManic There are a million shoulda woulda could moments in basketball. We can play that game all day. What if Houston had of drafted Jordan number one overall. Magic's career was cut short because of HIV. What if he had never gotten HIV and was able to keep playing. If he would have won 2 or 3 more rings he would have 7 or 8 and we might possibly be ranking him as the greatest player of all time even over Jordan. What if the Malace in the Palace had never taken place? I think Reggie Miller would have won a championship that year and one ring would have changed his whole legacy. What if James Harden had of been able to defeat the Golden State warriors and make it to the finals the year when they had Golden States against the ropes? Or if Oklahoma had of defeated Golden State when they also had them against the ropes the years before Durant went to go play with them? We can do this all day.
Memphis, TN born and raised..... So it's always gonna be Penny for me.... Gotta support the house 🔥🔥🔥
Penny was a unicorn talented player that was a great 3level scorer and extraordinary passer. His lethal midpost game made him a match up problem for most pgs 2s and SFs .
Yup. That passing and vision was just unfair to pair with his scoring versatility. He had tremendous instincts and anticipation. He was a better playmaker than Lebron imo. Before injuries.
@@dapper892 absolutely 💯 Penny's IQ and playmaking passing ability was 2nd to none. Considering his natural position was shooting guard
Penny was and is a Dope Player and a Outstanding Brother!!! Never had any problems on or off the court. Upstanding, should be the Ambassador for the NBA!!!
Penny had a complete offensive arsenal on the get go.
Can attack the rim, can shoot anywhere and can post regarless whether big or small defender🔥🔥
Yeah, he entered the league at the peak of his game the day of his first gamer. Most took a season or two to develop, even Kobe.
Penny was a Beast!! Penny came into the NBA as a rookie killing guys, young people if you want to see a guy play with all the fundamentals, etc., he was that good; Penny was box office, all his commercials, etc. young guys, if you have not seen Penny Hardaway highlights before he got hurt you need to go look at them. Jordan and Pippen had problems guarding this guy he was That good a 6 foot 7 point guard that would dunk on you and shoot threes, no one was like that and I have not seen no one with the skills he had today. if Penny wouldn’t gotten hurt he most definitely would’ve been a top 10 all-time in the NBA he was just a special.
penny talking about michael: "the respect was always there" 🐐🐐
& Penny busted his ass everytime they matched up with Orlando
@@mongoslade277 And how many rings did Penny and company win in the 90s?
@@LOTM-bh7zxIf Nock Anderson makes those free throws its hard to tell how many.
His attitude matched his skills.
My guy aging like a vampire. Loved watching him when I was a kid, now I look older than him. Sheesh!
Great video, he was my favorite player too and Tim Hardaway. I saw him at Memphis State, Penny was a special player. 99-00 Penny went to work vs Lakers in playoffs and than got hurt again, great video Ras.
I'm telling yuh, this basketball young talent had a maturity for the game, heading to the top of his time.... It's sad, if that man had more years of good health, nothing was there to stop Anfernee except major injuries which is every basketballers nightmare. Hardaway still resonants as one of the biggest what if's even until this day!
MJ admitted that Penny was his favorite player. That's why he wore his shoes that one time he didn't play in his own shoes.
The best "proof" of how unique he was... is that, until this day, there hasn't been a "next Penny Hardaway". You can see players with many similarities with those gods from 90s and 2000s, but, apart from Lebron (and even James is way different), I don't really remember many players who had that body, those skills and that magic with his passing abilities and his mindset. He was so genuine.
T Mac was very close
Good point, Durant is the closet to me, but even at his best he, Durant didn't possess the fluidity, quickness and ball handling that Penny had. Plus Penny took it to the rack even with his slender frame. He was special.
Penny in todays SAWFT NBA would be wilt chamberlin compared to those clowns.
agree, but also like MJ and LeBron, you can see more players after him modeling their game to be similar at least. and coaches letting it happen, as in tall guys playing the point. Guys like SGA, Doncic are similar in size, style and skill, but don't have the same impact in a more talent saturated league of today. There's not a lot of short or unathletic bad defenders in rotations like the bottom half of the league had in the 90s. Like Scott Skiles and BJ Armstrong for instance. It's all love though. Athletic greatness is in everyone that sniffs the League.
@@MessyManicyou and others that have this thought process are wacky as hell if you cannot see the league still has plenty of "ok" role players, just as many as yesteryear.
Miss 90's NBA so much
Mid 90s was penny mania. Dude was one of the biggest stars in sports period. Commercials, Nike contract, dating Tyra banks… dude was all world.
AWESOME CONTENT
Penny was amazing his first 4 years. Look at his FG% at the guard position! Too bad he had such severe injury problems so early.
I'm with you my bro...still my fav player...there wasn't anybody like him...injuries derailed him that's for sure!!
I WAS A CHICAGO KID LOVE PIPPEN A MJ BUT I HAD TO ALWAYS RESPECT PENNY HARDAWAY NO DOUBT THIS GUY WAS AWESOME AND GREAT COMMERCIALS BEFORE KOBE CAME THIS GUY WAS THE ONE SO SAD THAT HE GOT HURT AND WAS NEVER THE SAME THATS THE BIGGEST WHAT IF EVER IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAD HAPPEN HAD SHAQ JUST STOOD WITH THE MAGIC
My high school days were from 1992 to 1997. Grade 8 to grade 12. I probably could not have grown up and played in a better era. I was a baller too. Watched every NBA highlight VHS tape I could get.
Penny had almost no weaknesses. If not for injury, he'd be a hall of famer. If only Penny (and Grant Hill) didn't have injury riddled careers.
3FG of 31% would be a big weakness in today’s game
True ,honestly better than even kobe, coz he was naturally talented, lightning quick, great passer, he was like a mix of mj and magic....and humble too
Healthy Penny and young Shaq were the original cheat code. It was a hell of a thing to watch back then. Penny cooked everybody, nightly.
I think you're absolutely spot on about Penny Hardaway , he was definitely a nightmare for Jordan and Pippen to guard and I loved a minute of it.🤗
I did too. Loved it even more when my Bullies swept them in 96 lol 😂 but Penny was definitely a crazy matchup for Jordan or anybody else
The Bulls beat Penny the majority of the time. Stop the lies!
@@Matthew-uq4hu stop it! The Bulls beat Penny the majority of the time.
@@themansince TF are you talking about?
@@Matthew-uq4hu read and comprehend!
You should do a video on Brandon Roy, he was an absolute gun.
It's nice to be reminded of how strong that Magic team was for a few years there - Hardaway was a lot of fun to watch! Love the channel!
Orlando broke that team up, after losing in the finals to Houston they could've brought in some solid veterans instead they chose to let that team go
Penny was unreal. Plus those Lil penny commercials were great. Loved his kicks. Still look good 20 yrs later.
Penny and Derrick Rose had a LOT in common (College Alma Mater, fast track towards becoming an elite player/future Hall Of Fame player in the NBA......derailed by injuries).
Loved this! Penny is my all-time favorite player.
Penny was one of the biggest "what if's"in NBA history! Orlando Penny was one of my Favorite PGs of All time (right there with Magic Johnson)! Big BTM fan here, thanks for all the videos, best wishes from Ireland!
How big is basketball in Ireland
Along with Grant Hill & D Rose
Yes yes sir, if you know you know. Penny all time great PG
@@jurassicparkboom2426
Tracy Mcgrady and Richard Dumas too (if the latter didn't have drug related issues, the Suns might have won a ring...)
This was the first 99 rate player I have ever seen
That's how great MJ is. I admit Penny was special but Michael is such an icon that players will take what they can get when it comes to Michael. The highlight of Penny's career was being 22-23 year old with fresh legs giving the bizness to a 34-35 year old MJ. Kobe also, based his greatness on sucessfully copying MJ's game during the second half of MJ's career. Neither Penny or Kobe would have stayed on the court with a young, black cat quick and agile, jump out of the gym Air Jordan. Penny would have been effective but he wasn't that strong mentally and MJs defense would have ate him up. Kobe didn't even have the physical tools to keep up with a young MJ.
Penny should be in the HOF. Plenty of Hall of Famers have worse resumes.
It’s the “basketball hall of fame” and he was a national high school player of the year, college all American, 4 time all star, 3 time all NBA, all rookie team, rookie game MVP, Olympic gold medalist, and always played well in the playoffs.
He might be the only hall of fame eligible player with 2 all nba first team selections who is not in the hall of fame.
If T-Mac is in, he should be!!!
But he didn't shine in Chicago, L.A. or New York! 😒
And coaches Memphis.
You're right about that. Penny Hardaway was definitely better than a lot of this Trash being inducted into the Basketball HOF these days
@@williescott1674ain’t no way t mac should have got in before penny. that’s crazy they let this happen
Thnx for the great memories!
Penny was just special. If not for his injuries, it could be argued that he would be the 2nd best point guard of all time behind Magic. Next to MJ, Penny was my guy.
I loved seeing the Penny Hardaway video. He was great on offense and could take over a game when needed.
We’ll never see a penny of this greatness again...
We saw Kobe.
@@melvinhhcp3615 Touché, but prime Penny vs prime Kobe would have been epic. Who you got?
@@wr81cm Kobe. No disrespect to Penny. As Larry Legend said, if you wanna win, you choose Kobe.
I always crack at posts like this…Penny cooked oodles of noodles, MJ made thanksgiving dinner 😂😂😂
Great stuff, Sean, thanks! Love your style and way as always.
Huge Penny fan, he was so fun to watch!
penny was a instinct killer and he knew the game from board and also play defense, so he was very complete
Loved Penny Hardaway and was lucky enough to see him play against the Pacers in '94-'95 right before MJ came back. Still in my top-5 all-time. He was a legend in the making before injuries got the better of him.
The very first clip in this video, Penny is showing how to properly do a step back jumper WITHOUT traveling unlike practically every player who does it in the current NBA.
Including Michael Jordan, the King of traveling.
Good to see someone giving Penny Hardaway his flowers while alive..... Small Forward in College converted into a great point guard in the NBA. Loved this guy game..... in fact, Michael Jordan stole his low-post fadeaway jumper
"All we did was piss him off."
Penny made everyone stand up & take notice of him. I really enjoyed watching him play. MJ had his measure when it mattered though & they rarely matched up against one another.
Penny had his 2 secs moment against MJ in the 95/96 season. But then his Airness took it personal...and we all know how the story ended. Just in case some of us may have forgotten, it was 7-0 in favor of MJ and the Bulls the rest of the season... including a clinical SWEEP in the playoffs. So much for Penny cooking MJ, huh!! 😂😂
the whole title is a cap, like he used to cook Mike!
How they forget so easily.. smh
That still does not change the fact
Cherry picked highlights to support the title.
In that 95 playoff series that went 7 games MJ out scored him all 7 games. With some scores like 40 to 19, 38 to 20, 39-19….
@@donnellbennett2038 Nah mane.. He never ever talked about Penny, like he gave him problems. Mike was baiting him with every shot Penny took against him and when it came to crunch time, he put the clamps on him. The only time Penny gave him any tip of trouble is when Jordan came back. That's it. You better go take a look at some real video of them playing homie..
Facts 🤣 it's a reason they call him penny 😂
Penny, was cold, but so was Grand Hill !!!
I witnessed him cook MJ, however give Mike credit for even guarding him because Penny was a PG. He was hella quick with the handles. MJ won in the end 🤣
He was my favorite too growing up. I still got his rookie cards and over 100 different cards of Penny. He was very similar to Jordan is size and weight. His style was different though. I like how NBA2k23 got his hand gestures down when he dribbles the ball. He will allways be my favorite NBA player.
What Penny meant to say was "I use to cook for Michael. Breakfast lunch and dinner."
Penny was my favorite PG of all time to this day I still rock his Penny shoes every spring.
But this was the last game that Penny Ever won against MJ ever. The bulls were 4-0 and Orlando gave them their first lost during the 195-96 season the 72-10 year. Also penny was a bad boy but this was one game. The rest MJ owned Penny and the Magic beating them for the next 3 season including a playoff sweep.
I love that Jazz 🎷🎶 intro. It's so 90s
6:16 This was just filthy. Left Pippen flat-footed, then hit nothing but net 🔥🔥🔥
That is a real confidence killer for those on the top, then fall to the bottom.
Well done. Had to smash like and subscribe buttons.
Shout out for showing Penny's post game. His shoulder fake was next level. He was so quick and long, that he could fake, then skip to one side and the defense was helpless after that.
penny is my favorite player of all time
"Penny was Kobe before Kobe" -Shaq
It's just good to see the game played this way.
Great vid. I could go on and on about that Penny v Mike match up in the 90's. I'll say this,. growing up in Chi, I watched MJ start as an athlete then grow as player, adding the 3, the fade away, getting to the line, and other vet moves. Then Penny basically came into the league with the athleticism AND the vet savy moves and knew we had an issue. Damn he was fun to watch!
I really think his downfall was ego. He signed one of the largest contracts in NBA history at the time and had the nerve to say the team "didn't show him no love." Then he hated on Shaq when it was his turn to get paid. He wanted to be The Man. If he had shared that light with Shaq, he could have still had a chance at some chips, even with some injuries... still wouldn't have gotten them with Mike in the league but the dream would have lived 😂.
Penny was nice. Pretty much do it all. Notice how he was doing stepbacks way before that really became a thing. Arguably one of the most underrated
Penny was the man. Definitely my fav growing up, with Jordan a close second
I remember those lil penny commercials 😂
even as a gsw fan i can never get enough penny hardaway. love webber! one of my all time favs but also penny. would have loved to see shaq an c webb play together.
These are some damn good highlights, but Michael Jordan is Michael Jordan no comparison
memphis 10 mane 👑
Penny Hardaway, T Mac and grant hill all played for my favorite team the Orlando magic. It’s heartbreaking to see these players suffered through injuries. Always the what ifs? For these 3.
I've noticed every sport seems to go through the same phases.
Phase 1: The everyman era. No pay. Guys walk in off of odd jobs & play the sport alongside other jobs & it's almost more of a hobby than a profession. Not many teams. A few stars - some maybe could even play in the modern era but their competition level was low so they tended to stand out. Lack of regulation & tons of different leagues mean that standardization is hard & it's nearly impossible to know how each player would have measured up against anyone else. Stats either didn't exist, weren't recorded, or were lost to time. The ones that did exist - broke tons of records that stand to this day & just seem ridiculous & will never happen again. Rules were changed because of them. Think Babe Ruth, George Mikan, George Blanda, Dick Lane, Bobby Jones etc.
Phase 2: The Classic Era. The popularity of the sport begins to grow. Some top stars finally receive 6 figure checks. The new stars finally have move sets they invent which innovate the sport partially their own & partially from the older players. The game becomes more refined. It's finally a decent living. It's highly competitive for this reason. All Star games matter. It's this era in which many people will argue the "best & purest" version of the game is played. The players seemed "tougher" & willing to do anything to win. Some records are made in this era that stand for 40-60 years. Think Roger Maris, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Pele, The Iron Curtain, Jim Brown, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Rose, etc.
Phase 3: The Superstar Era. Most people would call this "peak" sports. The 1st million dollar contracts are given. The best athletes are drawn into the sport from all over the world. The game seems to grab the attention of the zeitgeist of anyone around it. For the first time in a long time some old records are broken, & as a whole there is more talent on any given team than every before. The battles are long, fierce, & rivalries are brutal. The leagues change their rules to adapt to this newer version to capitalize on the cash grab, & while the game is fundamentally different from the early days, & looks more like it's "modern form" - it's still a good balance of offense & defense, & fun to watch. Arguably the all time GOATs come from this era in most sports. Pay explodes from 1 million dollars to 20 million dollars a year+. Think Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Junior Seau, Shannon Sharpe, David Beckham, etc
Phase 4: The Modern Era: Billionaires are born. Some of the older guard from the previous era start becoming billionaires & some newer stars start making $500 mil contracts & will no doubt become easy billionaires. The stars are "too rich" to risk their health playing hard nosed defense. The game opens up its offense. People bemoan that All Star games are a joke. No one plays until the ends of games, the playoffs, or "when it matters." This era is often described as "soft." Players are able to play longer because of the easier schedules & play style so some records get broken which makes the younger generations think of these players as better than the older ones: See Tom Brady, LeBron James, Alexander Ovechkin, etc. The game is almost unrecognizable from any previous era.
I think it's safe to say that the overall trend here stand true for all sports, & because of that - certain things can be taken from this. The WNBA is in Phase 2 & slowly moving into Phase 3. The kids today & growing up thinking they can specialize in it & dunk from a young age. The women are growing bigger & bigger & training like men. They will probably battle it out for higher earnings in the coming years - making the sport more entertaining than the men's sport - which relies on soft 3's. Hockey also hasn't yet become that "massive USA sport." It seems stuck in reverse almost. Phase 3 happened in the 90s with a TON of stars, & never did make it to Phase 4. Strikes, lockouts, & financial problems slowed the sport, & it still retains most of it's purity despite rule changes softening it a bit & opening the offense. Football remains hot, but should dwindle in the coming years as Hockey is an overall more physical sport & has everything Football & Basketball does not. As the younger generation gets older they will experience what we older people know - that their greats aren't as good as they thought & that the more we learn about the past - the more we respect it. Videos like this help to show that guys like Hardaway could probably have had a MUCH better/longer career today than in the 90s. Conversely he wouldn't have lasted much in the 70s - although he would have burned BRIGHTER for just as long due to the raw talent & lack of depth on the rosters. I wish more people would put these things into perspective when having debates about players, GOATS, & eras. If they understood this from a top down perspective they wouldn't get caught up the in minutia of rings or MVPs, or even some stats, & would simply understand that it's all about a player's skillset compared to his era, then the era compared to another era. Both calculations can be made separately & a final number CAN be made at the end of that equation - IF you're willing to do the breakdowns & take the time.
Hope this long post make some people reassess the way they approach the "X" vs "Y" debates so we can have more productive takes in the future instead of the same mundane BS that 99% seem to do.
I love your videos man you’re awesome
😂 He said when Jordan came back i was like this is my League lol Keepin it 💯
And this is why I still buy Penny's til this day. Absolute monster!