Hoops Habit
Fansided

50 greatest NBA players to never win a championship

By Maxwell Ogden

PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 01: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers expresses emotion after making a basket during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2005 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 117-108 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 01: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers expresses emotion after making a basket during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2005 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 117-108 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Penny Hardaway
Penny Hardaway (Jonathan Daniel /Allsport) /

36. Penny Hardaway

  • Years Active: 1993 to 2007
  • Teams Played For: Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Miami Heat
  • NBA Finals Appearances:1

Few names in NBA history are as instantly recognizable as that of Penny Hardaway. A superstar on the fan level and an unpredictable talent on the court, Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal formed one of the most beloved duos of all-time.

That two-man show even helped the Orlando Magic do the unthinkable when they became the only team to eliminate Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls from the Playoffs during the reign of tyranny that lasted from 1991 to 1998.

Hardaway was as big a part of that as anyone, with a unique scoring arsenal and generational court vision. He could thread the needle with the best of them, making pinpoint passes to his cast of surrounding shooters and perfectly placed feeds to the incomparable O’Neal.

That enabled Orlando to not only upset Jordan and the Bulls, but reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history—just six years after the organization debuted.

Injuries would rob Hardaway of his prime, but he made quite the statement nonetheless. He was twice named to the All-NBA First Team, earning those honors in just his second and third seasons in the league.

For context: Even the incomparable LeBron James fell just shy of what Hardaway accomplished by being named All-NBA Second Team in his second season.

Coupled with Hardaway’s consistently strong play in the postseason, including his average of 31.0 points per game in the 1997 Playoffs, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been.

Hardaway even averaged 20.3 points per game in the Playoffs with the Phoenix Suns in 2000, when the injuries had already robbed him of the athleticism that had been a trademark of his game at 6’7”.

It’s impossible to definitively state where he would rank all-time if not for the injuries, but few would even attempt to argue against his potential.