Shaquille O’Neal was among the big names in attendance at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday for the BIG3 playoffs. While there, Courtside Buzz asked O’Neal to name his all-time BIG3 team, and he wasted no time giving his answer. He went with himself and two of his former teammates.

“Me, Kobe [Bryant], and Penny [Hardaway],” O’Neal said. “Undefeated. Never gonna lose a game.” A trio featuring O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Penny Hardaway would be nearly impossible to stop. NBA teams that had even two of those three already gave opponents nightmares, making this lineup a fantasy of dominance.

The combination would be lethal. Bryant’s relentless intensity and ability to take over games, Hardaway’s versatility and playmaking, and O’Neal’s total dominance in the paint would form a three-man unit that could overwhelm anyone. Few teams in any era would be able to match up.

O’Neal and Hardaway were teammates with the Orlando Magic from 1993 to 1996. Together, they powered the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals, though they were swept by the Houston Rockets. The following year, they looked poised for another run, but the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan during their historic 72-10 season, ended those hopes.

O’Neal and Bryant later joined forces with the Lakers from 1996 to 2004, creating one of the greatest duos in NBA history. Their partnership carried the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002, a three-peat no team has replicated since.

Ever since the BIG3 format launched, fans have speculated about a possible O’Neal appearance, but that dream seems unlikely. The 3×3 league, co-founded in 2017 by rapper Ice Cube, has featured several notable former NBA stars, yet O’Neal has never taken the court. During the interview, he learned that Cube’s son still hopes to see him join.

“Never,” O’Neal said flatly. “Too old.” Cube himself extended an invitation in 2024, but O’Neal isn’t budging. He admitted he no longer has the ability to dominate in the league the way he once did — a rare concession from a player who has always been defined by his confidence.

In an interview on 7 PM in Brooklyn, Anthony shared his thoughts on SGA’s rapid ascent. “This is the beginning of a run for him,” Anthony said. “He’s the evolution of a Penny Hardaway, of a Dwyane Wade… and he’s James [Harden] a little bit.”

Being compared to three iconic players is a monumental recognition. After finishing as the runner-up in last season’s MVP race behind Nikola Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander has taken his game to another level this year. He currently leads the league in scoring and, for the second consecutive season, is the NBA’s leader in free throws made per game.

Skill set breakdown: how SGA stacks up against Wade, Hardaway, and Harden

From a scoring standpoint, SGA currently leads the league in points per game, showcasing an elite ability to generate offense. His mid-range efficiency echoes Wade’s mastery in the in-between game. However, unlike Wade—who relied on explosive athleticism and physicality—Shai’s scoring approach is more methodical, resembling Harden’s footwork-heavy, isolation-based style that emphasizes foul-drawing and efficiency.

As a playmaker, Hardaway was one of the most naturally gifted passers the game has seen, using his 6’7” frame to see over defenses and orchestrate plays at an elite level. While Shai doesn’t quite match Hardaway’s vision, his facilitating ability has steadily improved. This season, he’s finding a balance between scoring and distributing, much like Harden did during his prime in Houston.

Defensively, Shai separates himself from the trio. Unlike Harden—who faced criticism for his lackluster defense—and Hardaway, who was more offensively focused, SGA has evolved into a true two-way force. His defensive instincts mirror Wade’s, with quick hands, strong anticipation, and a relentless approach. Leading the league in steals per game, he has proven himself as a major presence on both ends of the floor.

Has SGA redefined the modern scoring guard?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just a hybrid of Wade, Hardaway, and Harden—he represents the evolution of the modern scoring NBA guard. By blending elements of past legends with a unique and adaptable skill set, SGA is carving out his own legacy. If he continues on this trajectory, he won’t just be compared to the greats—he’ll be setting the standard for the next generation of elite guards.

With their 62-point outburst, Banchero and Wagner recorded their fourth career game scoring 30 or more points each in the same contest. That total now ranks as the second-highest for any duo in Magic history, trailing only the legendary pairing of O’Neal and Hardaway, who accomplished the feat 10 times.

After the game, Banchero spoke about the chemistry he and Wagner share on the court. “I think we just have a great understanding of each other’s games and where we want the ball,” Banchero said postgame. “We’re not afraid to communicate, hold each other accountable, and challenge one another. He’s an awesome teammate, and I love playing with him.”

Their combined effort powered the Magic to their second consecutive win, improving their record to 35-38. More importantly, their performance further solidified their status as one of the league’s most dynamic young duos and one of the most productive in franchise history alongside Shaq and Penny.

Banchero and Wagner shine against Lakers

Wagner led the Magic with 32 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and a steal while shooting 13-of-26 from the field. Banchero added 30 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and a block, finishing 9-of-17 from the floor and converting 10 of his 12 free throws.

Rookie guard Anthony Black also made a strong impact, contributing 17 points, six assists, five rebounds, a steal, and a block while shooting 7-of-10 in 30 minutes off the bench.

Banchero on what fuels their success

Banchero emphasized the aggressive mindset that drives their performances. “It always starts with us,” Banchero said. “We want to come out every game and set the tone.” said Paolo.

“Tonight, we knew we had to start fast and maintain a certain level of aggression throughout. We’re never going to be as good as we can be if other guys aren’t aggressive, so we always tell everyone—be aggressive.” With their young stars leading the way, the Magic continue to build momentum as they push for a NBA playoff spot.

That’s why he didn’t want things to snowball after the Memphis Tigers‘ shocking loss to Mississippi State. Instead of taking it easy on his players, he admittedly was a little too harsh.

Talking to Field of 68: After Dark, the legendary guard didn’t mince his words about his approach to make sure his team bounced back and proved what they were capable of.

Penny Hardaway was hard on his players

“Mississippi State is coming in, like, all right, they took us out of the Top 25 for you guys, and they were, like, way, way more energy,” Hardaway said. “So, in that game, it pissed me off because we just didn’t fight. Even though we were tired, we didn’t fight. So, all week long, I was an a**hole.”

Clearly, it worked, as his team was back on its feet to get the best out of a ranked opponent like Ole Miss. They’ve already beaten UConn, Michigan State, Missouri, and Clemson as well.

Now, coach Hardaway will need to make sure that his players don’t turn back to their bad habits again when they play 7-6 Florida Atlantic to begin 2025 on Thursday.

Coach Penny Hardaway stated that his team had been ‘soft’ and urged them to show a little pride and more fight. That was more than enough to ignite his players’ fire.

That’s why, following the big triumph against a ranked opponent, Hardaway agreed with the narrative about his team caring more about the game than their opponents.

Penny Hardaway admits Memphis got embarrassed

“It was absolutely true. It was true because we had a chip on our shoulders for how we played last week,” Hardaway said. “Mississippi State is a damn good team, and to go out there and not fight, they embarrassed us.”

“So we had to go through Christmas and enjoy Christmas with family, but we knew we had to get back to business. We knew that we couldn’t let Ole Miss come in here and do the same thing that Mississippi State had done,” he added.

Memphis showed a strong defensive attitude in the win over Ole Miss, holding the Rebels to just 36.4% from the floor. Now, they’ll look to replicate that success in their first conference game, which will take place on January 2. vs. Florida Atlantic.

During an appearance on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, Hardaway was asked, “Who are your top three guys as far as handle that came through the league?” The 53-year-old former guard responded without hesitation. “Jamal Crawford is one of them for sure,” he said, aligning with a widely shared sentiment about the brilliance of ‘J-Crossover.’

Hardaway quickly completed his ranking by adding two current stars. “Kyrie… And man, it’s a lot of guys that have crazy handles. Steph has handles.” With this, Hardaway solidified his recognition of Irving and Curry, two players still shining with the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, respectively.

Exploring the unique qualities of each player, the four-time NBA All-Star elaborated: “Kyrie, he’ll hit you, beat you, pull back, beat you again, pull back. We’re talking about that kind of guy.” He then shifted to Curry, adding, “He can do whatever he wants with that thing too, man.”

Finally, Hardaway confirmed his podium. “The big guys with the handle to me were JC and Kyrie. And I’ll put Steph in there,” he declared. Regarding Curry specifically, Penny noted, “To be able to get off from three with the same handles—right now, I can put Steph in that category because, man, he works at it and gets separation better than anyone. He doesn’t need much room.”

Other great ball handlers in NBA history

During the discussion, Baron Davis added another name to the conversation about legendary ball handlers. “Rod Strickland, I always put Rod,” Davis said. Hardaway quickly agreed, saying, “Oh, don’t even start me with him, bro. That dude was ridiculous. He was Kyrie before Kyrie. Rod Strickland was crazy, bro.”

Davis also reminisced about playing alongside another ball-handling wizard, Kenny Anderson. “He used to make me so mad in practice, cause he’d be killing. And you know how he is, like, ‘Come on, yo, we’re just playing ball, yo,’” Davis recalled from their time with the New Orleans Hornets in 2003. “I’d be in practice trying to foul him…and I was like, ‘I’m gonna lose my spot to this guy.’”

Curry and Irving continue to shine

For Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving to already be considered among the most skilled players in NBA history while still active is a testament to their greatness. At 36 and 32, respectively, both stars continue to deliver awe-inspiring performances, solidifying their legacies and captivating fans and peers alike.

However, there are levels to everything. That’s why even a rising star like Hardaway couldn’t help but be starstruck in the presence of the one and only Michael Jordan.

Recently, the Memphis coach recalled a story of how Jordan was forced to wear Penny’s signature shoes in the Eastern Conference Finals, and why he was by no means going to talk trash to him about it.

Penny Hardaway recalls when Michael Jordan wore his signature sneaker

“When he came back, they didn’t have an Air Jordan available because he didn’t make one. Then he was like, ‘Well, give me kid’s shoes,’ that’s what he called me — kid,” Hardaway said on Knuckleheads. “So he rocked them joints, and I was still sitting out there going, ‘This man got my shoes on.’ The only thing he did was cut the number one off the back, but he kept the shoes … I thought that was crazy ’cause he’s never worn another shoe outside of a Jordan.”

That was the only time Jordan didn’t use his signature Air Jordan sneakers, as they were reportedly in breach of league regulations. Even so, Hardaway wasn’t going to poke the bear:

“Hell no (I won’t talk trash to him), I let him do it. I said, no, I’mma leave, I’mma let a sleeping dog lie,” Hardaway said. “I appreciate you rocking them. I ain’t say nothing about the shoes. I ain’t say nothing. I’m like, I’m not bothering this dude. Let him be.”

That’s the kind of fear and respect Michael Jordan instilled in his peers. That’s why, as much as some want to look down on him as the greatest ever, most of those who got to play against him don’t have a single doubt about that.

His pairing with Shaquille O’Neal, 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.

That’s why even LeBron James took some things of Hardaway’s game and made it his own. With that in mind, he recently addressed James’ career and the influence he had on it.

Penny Hardaway says LeBron James studied his game

“Bron and I, when we meet up, we chop it up. He’s 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,” Hardaway told Zach Randolph and Tony Allen on their ‘Out of the Mud’ podcast.

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:

“LeBron 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 wasn’t load management because I didn’t 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,“ Hardway stated.

Penny Hardaway belongs to a long list of NBA greats who have been forgotten because they didn’t win a championship, but even the best players in the league acknowledge that he was a bonafide bucket-getter.

Of course, people pay attention to them, especially now that they’ve gotten off to a strong start. Even so, they’re more than likely to be either snubbed or overlooked come tournament time.

The American Athletic Conference has never been considered a top-tier conference by any means, especially when compared to the ACC, Big East, or others.

Penny Hardaway claims the NCAA doesn’t respect Memphis

With that in mind, coach Hardaway, who wants to make sure his team is a perennial tournament-caliber program, shared his thoughts on how the league sees them:

“They do not respect one team in our conference, which is unfortunate If you just win our conference, you’re going to be 8, 9 or lower. That’s not what we want. We want a 4-seed or higher to put us in position where we can have a couple games – that’s how most of these teams get to the Sweet 16 every year. So, these next four games are pivotal for us,” said the former NBA star.

The Tigers have won seven of their first nine games of the season. They’ve already beaten the likes of Michigan State and UConn, both ranked teams, so they can definitely hang with the best.

They will now square off vs. two more ranked teams, No. 16 Clemson and No. 19 Ole Miss, with matches with Virginia and Mississippi State in-between. This stretch will be crucial to change the narrative once and for all.

It’s pretty safe to state that Shaq was surrounded by greatness throughout the course of his entire career. From Hardaway in the Orlando Magic to Kobe in the Los Angeles Lakers, Wade in the Miami Heat, and LeBron in the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That’s why, even though he may have quite a difficult time choosing just the four best of his greatest teammates but even so, most people would agree that those 4 we mentioned should make the cut. Then again, Shaq isn’t most people.

Shaq Chooses Robert Horry Over LeBron James

Shaq attended the DangerTalk Podcast with Russell Wilson and revealed his Mt. Rushmore of former teammates, going with Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and – surprisingly – Robert Horry.

Hardaway and Shaq led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 1995 and were one of the flashiest duos in the league during their time together. As for Kobe, they won three straight championships and put together one of the most dominant dynasties in modern basketball history.

An aging Shaq joined Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat and played a big role in that 2006 NBA championship, the first in franchise history, although it was the first time that he wasn’t named Finals MVP.

Robert Horry played a huge role in the Lakers’ three-peat. His suffocating and pesky defense were among the best in the league and the guy had a feel for knocking down huge shots in the clutch. He also won 7 NBA championships through his career,so we get why he must hold him invery high regard.

Then again, considering Shaq said he wanted to ‘Win a ring for the King’ in Cleveland and comparing LeBron’s path to Horry, it’s kind of head-scratching to see him snubbed of his Mt. Rushmore.