Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game and everyone runs that same risk. But sometimes it just doesn’t seem fair when it happens to certain guys. The player atop that list for me is Anfernee Deon Hardaway, the player I enjoyed watching most, over the past 20 years. Last year, and for absolutely no reason at all, I went on an endless one-sided rant about how I think Penny could’ve been the greatest Point Guard ever if injuries didn’t claim what should have been his prime years.
Hard to believe he’s 40 years old already. I remember watching the 1993 NBA draft where Chris Webber and Penny were swapped for one another, which was met with a chorus of boos amongst the crowd in Auburn Hills, Michigan (the location of the draft that year); Webber’s backyard. But how quickly the boos turned to cheers during his rookie season as he became an instant fan favorite.
Some of my best recollections of Penny are when he went up against Michael Jordan. It always seemed as if Mike played especially tougher against Penny. And it also seemed as if Penny would get the best of Mike in some of those old Magic-Bulls playoff series. But aside from his abbreviated greatness on the court, what also made Penny special were his kicks. In my opinion, he had one of the best catalogue of basketball shoes ever. They were a hot ticket in the mid-90s and fans still clamor for the retros today. I even remember Jordan wearing a pair of Penny’s in a playoff game, against the Magic no less. I don’t ever recall Mike wearing someone else’s kicks. In fact, on his verified Twitter account, Penny mentioned a few weeks ago that Nike is releasing a pair of 1cent, air force ones soon. His name lives on.
Penny’s playing days will always seem to me as if they just occurred yesterday. But I had a conversation with a high school freshman not too long ago who, understandably, never heard of Penny Hardaway. Broke my heart. That helped in realizing just how tragic his career-altering injuries were, because with his talent, his name should ring loudly forever. But let’s not dwell on that. Let’s emphasize the good. Here’s a refreshing Penny mix to remind us all of his greatness on his 40th birthday:
What are your memories of Penny Hardaway?
If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then you’ve come to the wrong place, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe to for free on iTunes. Follow Kevin on Twitter and Facebook
