Penny Hardaway vs Michael Jordan: Do Stats Back Up Orlando Stars’ Bold ‘Divorce’ Claim?

“My skills are higher than MJ’s.” Those would have been famous last words in the 90s before an entire team was left in ruins. Penny Hardawy should know better than that. The Orlando Magic with their youth, led by a scary young Shaquille O’Neal, and a veteran in Horace Grant, found a way to get under Michael Jordan’s skin a few times. The result would be Black cat takes it very personally. Two decades removed from their NBA career, in completely different areas, Hardaway can make this claim without fear of repercussions.

So what makes Anfernee Hardaway so confident? The Orlando Magic star was undoubtedly a great hooper. But no one would put him in the same class as Air Jordan. But do the numbers paint a different picture?

Penny vs MJ – who started it?

Trevor Ariza recently stirred the pot when he said that 1994-95 Penny Hardaway was better than Michael Jordan at times. When Hardaway appeared on On the Mud podcast, he was asked about it. He took a diplomatic approach but supported Ariza’s statement.

“I’m going to say that because everybody can say MJ is the GOAT, right? But when you have guys who understand what they like in somebody’s game — playing, passing, shooting — my skills are higher than MJ’s.” He further doubled down on Ariza’s claim, “TThat’s probably why he says I’m better than MJ from a skill standpoint.“

Technically, Hardaway elaborates on Ariza’s claim. To Penny herself, Jordan is THE GOAT. But he concedes some validity to Ariza’s argument.

In terms of skills, Penny Hardaway definitely had the bag. Injuries slowed him down in his later career. But in 1994-95, fresh Blue Chips when Shaquille O’Neal convinced Orlando to select Penny out of the draft, he was a force. Shaq dubbed him his Kobe before Kobe. Together they were a great team that even took on the Bulls in their prime.

When could Penny Hardaway take on Michael Jordan?

When Penny Hardaway entered the league, Michael Jordan was semi-retired and Shaquille O’Neal dominated. Then Jordan dropped the baseball bat to return in 1995. Part of the reason Penny admired MJ was his ability to make a comeback. “When people respond by saying ‘you’re crazy’, it often reflects the debate between skill and the entirety of a career, especially considering how MJ maintained his skill over the years, including his remarkable comebacks.“

Jordan bagged his first three-peat before Penny’s time, and his return to the NBA marked a defining phase for the Orlando Magic franchise. We all saw it The last dance. After suiting up at #45, Jordan was overwhelmed against a younger and physically bigger team in Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. Penny’s teammate, Nick Anderson, apparently taunted Jordan, prompting a switch back to #23 that torched Orlando.

However, the Bulls lost the series to Orlando. It’s Shaq’s biggest flex yet that his was the last team to beat the Jordan-led Bulls in the playoffs. Penny also noted that seeing MJ leave the court disappointed was the biggest confidence booster of that era. Too much confidence actually. Both infamously regret celebrating the win over their GOAT too hard before the finals and end up getting swept by the Houston Rockets.

The Magic faced the Jordan-led Bulls again in 1996. This time, MJ had held a grudge since the previous playoffs. Once again, the Magic were swept in the ECF by the Bulls. Jordan averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game in the season in which he won his fourth ring.

Fresh off winning the gold medal with Shaq and Charles Barkley at the 1996 Olympics, Hardaway averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 1995-96. After that, Hardaway renewed his contract, but Shaq went to LA. Hardaway wasn’t necessarily the ‘playmaker’ who had back-to-back deep runs in the postseason.

Although Hardaway makes a very valid point about skills and the totality of their respective careers, a healthy Anfernee didn’t avoid MJ. In 14 seasons, Penny averaged 15.2 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals. Excluding his retirement gaps, Jordan’s 15 seasons have averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Jordan had a 14-7 winning record against Penny and a 6-4 playoff record. Not to mention Jordan’s resume from All-Star selections to MVP awards and rings they surpass Hardaway’s.

But these numbers also support his point. With assists and rebounds so close to Jordan’s own, it proves Penny’s ability to facilitate games against a stacked Bulls roster. That’s why he made the perfect on-court partner with O’Neal. As easy as it is to dismiss a comparison to Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway’s individual skills as a well-rounded NBA star cannot be diminished.