NBA: 50 greatest players who aren’t in the Basketball Hall of Fame

50 greatest players who aren’t in the Basketball Hall of Fame: 5. Penny Hardaway

There are few players in NBA history who amassed a level of popularity as what was achieved by Penny Hardaway. Co-starring with Shaquille O’Neal on an Orlando Magic team that went as far as competing for a championship, Hardaway proved that style and substance could go hand-in-hand—and not just for that guy wearing No. 23 in Chicago.

Injuries robbed Hardaway of what was all but guaranteed to be a Hall of Fame career, but that doesn’t change the fact that he belongs on this list—and incredibly high on it.

During his first four seasons, Hardaway was named to three All-NBA Teams, including two appearances on the All-NBA First Team. The highlight was in 1995-96 when he beat out Second Team selectees Gary Payton and John Stockton for the First Team nod alongside Michael Jordan.

The other players who made that team are all top-50 all-time players who are currently in the Hall of Fame: Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, and David Robinson.

Just one season after joining the elite of the elite for a second consecutive year, Hardaway suffered a knee injury that would mark the beginning of the end of his NBA superstardom.

For what it’s worth, Hardaway achieved enough to at least warrant consideration for the Hall of Fame. He won an Olympic Gold Medal with Team USA at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, helped Orlando reach the 1995 NBA Finals, and helped the Memphis Tigers reach the Elite Eight in 1992.

He was also third in MVP voting in 1995-96 and was Top 10 in that regard during the 1994-95 campaign. In other words: Hardaway was not only talented and popular but truly elite.

The Hall of Fame may or may not be in his future, but Penny Hardaway was a legend of his era. A star with a significant cultural impact on the game.