Are Penny Hardaway Tim Hardaway Related? Who’s Better?
When it comes to hoops, Penny Hardaway Tim Hardaway are straight-up legends who changed the game. Though they aren’t related, these ballers left their mark on the NBA with their skills and innovation.
Penny Hardaway was a beast for the Orlando Magic in the ’90s. He could score, pass, and rebound, impacting the game in major ways. Tim Hardaway broke ankles for the Warriors and Heat with his nasty crossover and dope playmaking.
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Are Tim Hardaway and Penny Hardaway related?
No, they are not related. I get why people might think Penny and Tim Hardaway are related just because they have the same last name. But surprisingly, they aren’t!
Penny Hardaway, or Anfernee as his momma called him, was one of the biggest stars in the NBA back in the ’90s with the Magic. He could do it all – score, pass, rebound. Four-time All-Star and two-time First Team All-NBA. He and Shaq made Orlando an exciting team to watch back in the day.
Meanwhile, Tim Hardaway was lighting it up on the court too. Timmy was a killer crossover point guard who could shoot and dish with the best of them. Five-time All-Star himself.
So as good as they both were, Penny and Tim came from different backgrounds and families. Just a coincidence they ended up with the same last name and both balled out in the NBA.
Penny Hardaway Tim Hardaway Comparison
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway was a hoops phenom growing up in Memphis, Tennessee. At Treadwell High School, he averaged a whopping 36.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.9 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game as a senior!
For his stellar play, Penny was named the Parade Magazine National High School Player of the Year and finished his high school career with over 3,000 points.
Penny then went to Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). He had to redshirt his freshman year due to grades but came back strong, even after being shot in the foot before the season, making the Dean’s List and leading the Tigers in scoring and assists.
In his junior season, Penny averaged 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game with two triple-doubles. He was named an All-American but decided to enter the NBA draft instead of finishing his senior year. His #25 jersey was later retired by the school.
Tim Hardaway
Meanwhile, Tim Hardaway was balling out in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Carver Area High School in 1985.
He played college hoops at UTEP under legendary coach Don Haskins. Tim led the Miners to two NCAA Tournaments and won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1989 for the best college player under six feet tall.
It was at UTEP that Tim developed his killer crossover dribble move dubbed the “UTEP Two-Step.”
Penny and Tim displayed their superstar talent from an early age before making it big in the NBA. Their standout high school and college careers paved the way for future success at the highest level.
NBA Career
Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway was drafted by the Warriors in 1993 but got traded to the Orlando Magic to team up with Shaq. In his first year, Penny moved from shooting guard to point guard and led the Magic to their first playoff appearance.
He was named to the All-Rookie Team and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year.
In Penny’s second season, he and Shaq dominated, leading the Magic to a franchise record 57 wins! Penny started in the All-Star game and was named to the All-NBA First Team. The duo led the Magic all the way to the NBA Finals but they got swept by the Houston Rockets.
Over the next few years, Penny kept killing it, making the All-NBA First Team again and finishing third in MVP voting in 1996. He won gold with Team USA at the 1996 Olympics too.
But in the 1997-98 season, knee injuries started messing with Penny’s career hard. He had to have multiple surgeries and couldn’t play as much. Later on, Penny played for the Suns and Knicks but injuries kept slowing him down.
After retiring, Penny got into coaching and led a middle school team to a state title. And now he’s the head coach of Memphis Tigers.
Tim Hardaway
After ballin’ out in college, Tim Hardaway was drafted 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 1989.
There, he joined forces with Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin to form the famous fast-breaking trio known as “Run TMC.” Tim was key to Run TMC with his sick handles and passing skills. Together, they brought an exciting new style of play to the Warriors in the early ’90s.
In the 1995-96 season, Tim got traded to the Miami Heat.
He led the Heat to a franchise record 61 wins the next season! Tim finished 4th in MVP voting that year and was named to the All-NBA First Team for his beastly play. He was clutch for the Heat in the playoffs too, even reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Later in his career, Tim bounced around a few teams like the Mavericks, Nuggets, and finished with the Pacers in 2003. Though his role changed, he had a solid NBA career spanning over a decade.
After retiring, Tim got into coaching and TV analysis because of his passion for hoops. He became an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons in 2014, sharing his knowledge of the game with younger players.
Achievements and Records
Penny Hardaway
- Penny Hardaway had a super successful 14-year NBA career playing for teams like the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns. Here are some of his sickest highlights:
- Penny was the 3rd overall draft pick in 1993 by the Warriors but got traded to the Magic. He made the All-Rookie team his first season.
- Over his career, he averaged 15.2 points, 5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, his numbers were even better at 19 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game!
- Penny was a 4-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team twice. He was a beast during his six seasons with the Magic, putting up 19 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game.
- Before the NBA, Penny won high school player of the year, was an NCAA All-American, and award finalist in college. He also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1996.
- His impact on the Orlando Magic was so huge that he was inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Tim Hardaway
- Tim Hardaway had a beastly NBA career full of sick highlights playing for teams like the Warriors, Heat, and Mavericks. Here are some of his top achievements:
- The Warriors drafted Tim 14th overall in the 1989 NBA draft. He made the All-Rookie First Team right away, showing his instant impact.
- Over his career, Tim averaged 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Dude could score and pass!
- He was a 5-time All-Star and made the All-NBA Team multiple times, including the First Team in 1997.
- One season Tim led the Heat to a franchise record 61 wins and finished 4th in MVP voting, proving how valuable he was.
- In 2022, Tim got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing his status as an all-time great.
- Tim won Olympic gold with Team USA in 2000, dominating on the world stage.
Legacy and Influence in Basketball
Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway’s impact goes way beyond just his playing days. In 2011, he started coaching at his old middle school, Lester. Penny not only coached hoops but also made the players focus on grades so they could graduate college. With his guidance, Lester won the state title with a 28-3 record.
In 2018, Penny became the head coach for his college team, the Memphis Tigers. Right away, he led them to the NIT tournament and had the #1 recruiting class in the country. Top high school players committed to play for him at Memphis.
In 2023, Penny’s Tigers won the AAC Tournament championship and made the NCAA Tournament.
Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway changed the game forever with the killer crossover dribble he invented at UTEP. His “UTEP Two-Step” became his signature move and influenced a whole generation of players like Iverson, Crawford, and Kyrie Irving. The crossover is now a fundamental basketball skill.
Tim’s awesome career got him inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Tim’s induction into the Hall of Fame shows how much of a beast he was as an individual player. But it also proves how much he changed the game forever with his nasty crossover move. His crazy handles and dope crossover opened up a whole new world of moves for ballers.
Both Penny and Tim continue to influence the next generations through coaching and innovation. Their legacies go way beyond their playing days!
Who is Better?
Deciding who’s better between Penny and Tim Hardaway comes down to personal opinion on what makes a baller great.
In one online poll, 65% of 68 voters picked Penny over Tim as the better player. This shows Penny was a fan fave among this group.
Fans argue if Penny stayed healthy, he could’ve been a top 20-30 player ever. They point to his beast years from 1994-1997 where he made First Team All-NBA twice.
Another view is Penny had a higher peak but Tim had a better overall career by staying healthy longer. So some give Penny the edge for his peak years despite Tim’s longer success.
At the end of the day, Penny and Tim both had unique strengths and achievements. Choosing between them depends on what someone values more in a great basketball player. There’s good cases for both being the “better” Hardaway based on different criteria for greatness.
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Kenya Lee
