Was Penny Hardaway Better Than Michael Jordan During Magic Tenure? Analyzing Ex-NBA Star’s Bold Verdict

It was a ‘you had to be there’ moment when that guy from Blue Chip stepped into the NBA. Orlando Magic rookie, Shaquille O’Neal did a movie with NBA pros and was so impressed with his co-star, he got the team to select him in the 1993 draft. Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway arrived in a league dominated by superstars. Michael Jordan had just beat Charles Barkley to win his third consecutive title. He was determined to be the perfect Robin to Shaq, while Scottie Pippen had set the bar for that role high. Yet, the Shaq & Penny combination was touted as the next dynasty after the Bulls. Shaq would leave and form the Lakers dynasty with Kobe.

But here’s the thing. Even Shaq admits he never gets counted in league with his idol, Jordan. But there was a time when Penny came very close. At least those who play with and against Hardaway believe he could match if not outdo His Airness.

When Michael Jordan lost to Penny Hardaway

When Michael Jordan retired, Penny Hardaway landed in New York the same year the Knicks drafted Trevor Ariza. His two years with the Knicks weren’t prime Penny years. But his on-court chemistry with Ariza was the closest he came to what he had with Shaq.

Ariza has enough grounds to say on Uninterrupted, “When he (MJ) came back when he was four, five, Penny was better than Michael Jordan…he was more a killer than him.” 

Hardaway has 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists during his entire Knicks tenure. Injuries limited his time severely. Between Orlando and his retirement in 2007, Hardaway’s knee injury hampered him. But pre-injury, Penny made Ariza’s case.

Michael Jordan had come back from semi-retirement after the Bulls made the 1995 postseason, with the body of a baseball player, and not playing like the 3x NBA champion Hardaway idolized. In contrast, Orlando Magic was looking dominant off the back of their young duo Shaq and Penny, teamed up with former Bull Horace Grant.

As history went down, the Magic routed the Jordan-led Bulls in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals. In those playoffs, Penny averaged 19.6 points, 7.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 21 games, to Jordan’s 31.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 10 games. During this series, Jordan opted to wear Hardaway’s signature shoe, Air Flight One, as the ultimate form of respect.

Fans that season were more excited to see the battle of the centers – Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Magic’s Shaq – duke it out in the Finals. But in his first Finals appearance, Penny averaged 25.5 points, 8.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 4 games. That was, however, forgotten after the Rockets swept Magic.

Penny Hardaway’s prime in chase of Air Jordan

Other than his knee, losing Shaq to the Lakers became a turning point for Penny Hardaway’s career. He went from sidekick to the team’s star. Without the big man, Penny made it to the playoffs again and averaged 31 PPG, a close second to Jordan that season. In the series against the Miami Heat, Penny became the first player in NBA history to score 40 points in back-to-back playoff games.

While Jordan was winning his next three titles, Hardaway was dealing with shortened seasons due to injuries or a lockout. The 6x champion would take another semi-retirement while the Bulls dynasty disbanded. During that, Hardaway capped 1999, averaging 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists, and 111 steals in his final season at Orlando.

Injuries stripped Hardaway of a Hall of Fame career. However, the high point of his career was getting acknowledged by Jordan.

Statistically, Jordan has the edge over Hardaway. Jordan retired for good in 2003 with 21 matchups between himself and Hardaway. Jordan won 14 of them and outscored Hardaway throughout their overlapping careers. But Penny came so close that even MJ touted Hardaway could be the face of a new NBA generation.