Younger NBA and college basketball fans might know Penny Hardaway for being the Memphis Tigersā coach. However, there was a time when he was one of the most explosive and entertaining players to watch in the league.
His pairing with Shaquille OāNeal, while short-lived, was one of the best in the game. And while injuries got the best of him, his influence in the late 90s was evident.
Thatās why even LeBron James took some things of Hardawayās game and made it his own. With that in mind, he recently addressed Jamesā career and the influence he had on it.
Penny Hardaway says LeBron James studied his game
āBron and I, when we meet up, we chop it up. Heās 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,ā Hardaway told Zach Randolph and Tony Allen on their āOut of the Mudā podcast.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway encourages his team during the first half against Wichita State on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
Hardaway then gushed about all the times James had shouted him out in the past, talking about how he wanted to play the game in the right way and be the best version of himself:
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āLeBron 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 wasnāt load management because I didnāt 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,ā Hardway stated.
Penny Hardaway belongs to a long list of NBA greats who have been forgotten because they didnāt win a championship, but even the best players in the league acknowledge that he was a bonafide bucket-getter.
