Basketball
Penny Hardaway: "I'm Top 3 All-Time If Healthy" | Reacts to Shaq & Averaging 30 in Today's NBA
The Hoop Genius Podcast›
Dec 4, 202550:10
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Episode Notes
NBA Legend Penny Hardaway joins the Hoop Genius Podcast for a rare, exclusive interview! In this episode, Penny responds to Shaq’s viral claim that he would be a "Top 3 player ever" without injuries , reveals his future plans to coach in the NBA , and explains why he would dominate today's "drop coverage" defense.
Penny opens up about his iconic run with the Orlando Magic, the truth about the Chris Webber draft night trade , and auditioning for Shaq during the filming of "Blue Chips". He also gives his unfiltered take on Ja Morant , the problems with modern AAU basketball causing injuries , and drops his controversial All-Time Starting 5 list.
Penny discusses playing alongside Shaq in Orlando, the Finals run, guarding elite scorers, and why spacing, pace, and rule changes would amplify his offensive impact today. He also shares his evolution from NBA superstar to Memphis head coach, his views on AAU development vs European systems, and how basketball IQ separates great players from elite ones.
The "What If" Legacy: Penny agrees with Shaq that his IQ, size, and skill set would have put him in the GOAT conversation alongside Jordan and LeBron had he stayed healthy.
Modern NBA vs. 90s: Penny breaks down why he loves the current era's spacing but believes he could score more easily today due to the lack of hand-checking and "drop coverage" defenses.
Coaching Future: For the first time, Penny explicitly states that coaching in the NBA would "complete the cycle" of his basketball life.
Sneaker History: A look back at the Nike Foamposite and why it remains one of the grestest sneakers of all time.
🎧 Listen to the full Hoop Genius Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms.
📺 Subscribe for new episodes 2x a week.
This podcast is brought to you by NBA2K26:
https://nba.2k.com/2k26/buy/
Penny opens up about his iconic run with the Orlando Magic, the truth about the Chris Webber draft night trade , and auditioning for Shaq during the filming of "Blue Chips". He also gives his unfiltered take on Ja Morant , the problems with modern AAU basketball causing injuries , and drops his controversial All-Time Starting 5 list.
Penny discusses playing alongside Shaq in Orlando, the Finals run, guarding elite scorers, and why spacing, pace, and rule changes would amplify his offensive impact today. He also shares his evolution from NBA superstar to Memphis head coach, his views on AAU development vs European systems, and how basketball IQ separates great players from elite ones.
The "What If" Legacy: Penny agrees with Shaq that his IQ, size, and skill set would have put him in the GOAT conversation alongside Jordan and LeBron had he stayed healthy.
Modern NBA vs. 90s: Penny breaks down why he loves the current era's spacing but believes he could score more easily today due to the lack of hand-checking and "drop coverage" defenses.
Coaching Future: For the first time, Penny explicitly states that coaching in the NBA would "complete the cycle" of his basketball life.
Sneaker History: A look back at the Nike Foamposite and why it remains one of the grestest sneakers of all time.
🎧 Listen to the full Hoop Genius Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms.
📺 Subscribe for new episodes 2x a week.
This podcast is brought to you by NBA2K26:
https://nba.2k.com/2k26/buy/
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