“We Can’t Start Shooting Till 12:01 PM”: NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Found “Baby Magic Johnson” Through a Movie That Forced Him to Make Big Demands From His Team

Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal has played with some Hall of Famers throughout his career. He is most remembered for his partnerships with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. But his first partnership was with a young star who was found by Shaq during a movie shoot. And that was none other than Penny Hardaway.

When Shaq was a part of the Orlando Magic, he was a star in his first year, but that wasn’t enough to win titles in the NBA. And at the same time, Shaq signed up for a movie. This was also during a time when he still had obligations to his team and had to practice. So he built his contract in such a way that he had to practice before shooting for the movie.

 Shaquille O’Neal says Penny Hardaway impressed him in practice

On Shaq’s contract, it was written that he had to dedicate himself to working out and practicing. He said, “On my contract, we can’t start shooting till 12:01 pm. Why? Cause I got to work out from 9-11. Every day I got to work out. So, we’re shooting a basketball movie, that’s easy. Workout, 9-11 in the gym, so the first day I get to the gym, they put me and Penny on this team. I thought he was an actor.” 

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“But this kid was a like a Baby Magic Johnson… just doing everything right. He would only come down to look for me. Like somebody programmed him, when you get out there, just throw the ball to Shaq,” Shaq added.

Shaquille O’Neal then asked one coach who was that kid and he got to know he was an upcoming star from Memphis. And that coach said that Shaq should talk to the upper management and try to draft him. He said that his skills and Shaq’s skills complemented each other on the court really well.

And the Magic organization did listen to him and they traded for Penny Hardaway. The two young stars combined well together, and they even made the NBA Finals a year later. And the following year they made the Eastern Conference Finals.

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However, Shaq would then leave for the Los Angeles Lakers. And Hardaway’s career was later derailed by multiple injuries. But Shaq was impressed when he first saw Penny Hardaway and he got him to the Magic.