50 Greatest NBA/ABA Players Not In the Hall Of Fame
By Phil Watson
(Photo credit should read TONY RANZE/AFP/Getty Images)
After two dazzling seasons at Memphis State, Anfernee Hardaway was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the third overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, but was moved in a blockbuster trade on draft night.
The Warriors sent the rights to Hardaway along with first-rounders in 1996, 1998 and 2000 to the Orlando Magic in exchange for the rights to No. 1 overall pick Chris Webber.
Hardaway earned three All-NBA nods and finished third in the MVP voting in 1995-96 while with the Magic.
Teaming with Shaquille O’Neal, Hardaway helped the Magic to the NBA Finals for the first time in 1995, where they were swept by the defending champion Houston Rockets.
But knee problems cropped up for “Penny” in 1997, when he missed 63 games for Orlando and it was an issue that became a recurring theme later in his career.
In August 1999, he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for Danny Manning, Pat Garrity and first-round picks in 2001 and 2002.
Injuries to his knee plagued him in Phoenix, where he managed to play just one full season, and in January 2004, Hardaway was traded with Stephon Marbury and Cezary Trybanski to the New York Knicks for Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, Milos Vujanic and first-round picks in 2004 and 2010.
Hardaway struggled to stay healthy in New York and in February 2006 was traded with Trevor Ariza back to the Magic for Steve Francis. Orlando waived Hardaway two days after the trade and he sat out the 2006-07 season in retirement.
A brief comeback with the Miami Heat in 2007 ended when he was waived in December.
In 14 seasons, Hardaway averaged 15.2 points, five assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.7 minutes per game, shooting .458/.316/.774.