Penny Hardaway vs Michael Jordan: Do Stats Support Orlando Star’s Bold Claim on “Skillset”?

“My skill set is higher than that of MJ.” Those would’ve been famous last words in the ’90s before an entire team was left in shambles. Penny Hardawy should know better than that. Orlando Magic with its youth, led by a scary young Shaquille O’Neal, and a veteran in Horace Grant, found a way to get under Michael Jordan’s skin a few times. The result would be the Black Cat taking it very personally. Two decades removed from their NBA careers, in completely different spheres, Hardaway can make this claim without fear of consequences.

So what makes Anfernee Hardaway so confident? The Orlando Magic star was undoubtedly an amazing hooper. But nobody would put him in the same class as Air Jordan. But do the numbers paint a different picture?

Penny vs MJ – who started it?

Trevor Ariza recently stirred the pot when he said that the 1994-95 Penny Hardaway was at times better than Michael Jordan. When Hardaway appeared on the On The Mud podcast, he was asked about it. He took a diplomatic approach but supported Ariza’s statement.

“I’ll say this because everybody can say MJ is the GOAT, right? But when you have guys who understand what they like in somebody’s game — playmaking, passing, shooting — my skill set is higher than that of MJ.” He further doubled down on Ariza’s claim, “That’s probably why he’s saying I’m better than MJ from a skillset point of view.”

Technically, Hardaway is elaborating on Ariza’s claim. To Penny himself, Jordan is the GOAT. But he is admitting some validity to Ariza’s argument.

In terms of skillset, Penny Hardaway definitely had the bag. Injuries slowed him down in his later career. But in 1994-95, fresh off Blue Chips when Shaquille O’Neal convinced Orlando to pick Penny off the draft, he was a force. Shaq dubbed him his Kobe before Kobe. Together they were a great team that even took on the Bulls in their prime.

When Penny Hardaway could take on Michael Jordan?

When Penny Hardaway came into the league, Michael Jordan was in semi-retirement and Shaquille O’Neal was dominating. Then Jordan dropped the baseball bat to return in 1995. Part of why Penny admired MJ was his ability to make comebacks. “When people react by saying ‘you’re crazy,’ it often reflects the debate between skill and the totality of a career, especially considering how MJ maintained his prowess over the years, including his notable comebacks.”

Jordan wrapped his first three-peat before Penny’s time, and his return to the NBA marked a defining phase for the Orlando Magic franchise. We all saw it on The Last Dance. Suiting up in #45, Jordan was staggering against a younger and physically bigger team in Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. Penny’s teammate, Nick Anderson apparently mocked Jordan which triggered a switch back to #23 that scorched Orlando.

However, the Bulls lost the series to Orlando. It’s Shaq’s biggest flex to date that his was the last team to beat the Jordan-led Bulls in the playoffs. Penny too remarked that seeing MJ leave the court disappointed was the biggest confidence booster in that era. Too much confidence in fact. Both infamously regret celebrating the win over their GOAT too hard before the finals and end up getting swept by the Houston Rockets.

The Magic met the Jordan-led Bulls again in 1996. This time MJ had been holding the grudge since the previous playoffs. Once more, Magic was swept, in the ECF by the Bulls. Jordan averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in the season he won his fourth ring.

Hardaway, who just won the gold medal alongside Shaq and Charles Barkley in the 1996 Olympics, averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 1995-96. After that, Hardaway renewed his contract but Shaq went to LA. Hardaway wasn’t necessarily the ‘playmaker’ who had consecutive deep runs in the postseason.

Even though Hardaway makes a very valid point about skillset and the totality of their respective careers, a healthy Anfernee didn’t outgun MJ. In 14 seasons, Penny averaged 15.2 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Excluding his retirement gaps, Jordan’s 15 seasons racked up 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Jordan had a 14-7 winning record against Penny, and a 6-4 playoff record. Not to mention Jordan’s resume from All-Star selections to MVP awards and rings, they outdo Hardaway.

But these numbers also support his points. With assists and rebounds so close to Jordan’s own, it proves Penny’s ability to facilitate plays against a stacked Bulls roster. That’s why he made the perfect on-court partner with O’Neal. As easy as it is to dismiss a comparison to Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway’s individual skillset as a well-rounded NBA star can’t be diminished.