Anfernee Hardaway (Penny)

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Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway is a gifted guard whose shooting, passing and athletic abilities earned him a spot on the All-NBA First Team and who helped the Magic reach the NBA Finals in 1995, only his second season in the league. The 6-7 Hardaway combines height, ballhandling and an accurate outside stroke into an exciting all-around game, although his scoring tailed off in his final two seasons with Orlando and he was traded to Phoenix prior to the 1999-2000 season. A native of Memphis, Tennessee Hardaway always seemed destined for roundball success. He was Parade magazine's National High School Player of the Year in 1990, when as a prep senior he averaged 36.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.3 steals, and 2.8 blocks. He chose to attend nearby Memphis State (now the University of Memphis) but had to sit out 1990-91 in order to become academically eligible. Hardaway, who achieved a 3.4 cumulative grade point average in college, ripped up the Great Midwestern Conference for two seasons. As a junior in 1992-93 he averaged 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists; shot .477 from the field; recorded 2 triple-doubles; and set a school single-season record for points with 729. He was named conference Player of the Year, a First-Team All-American, and a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards. The Orlando Magic, who had secured Shaquille O'Neal with the No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, won the NBA Draft Lottery again in 1993. The team took Michigan's Chris Webber with the No. 1 pick and immediately traded him to the Golden State Warriors for Hardaway and three first-round draft picks. The Warriors had chosen Hardaway with the third overall pick in the same draft. (Shawn Bradley went to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 2.) In an effort to ease Hardaway's adjustment to playing point guard in the NBA, Magic Coach Brian Hill started him at off guard for the first half of his rookie season. Hill eventually moved Hardaway to the point, and the 21-year-old rookie finished with averages of 16.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished six votes behind Webber for the Rookie of the Year Award. In only his second year in the league Hardaway emerged as a top NBA guard. He averaged 20.9 points and 7.2 assists, started in the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, and helped the Magic to the best record (57-25) in the Eastern Co...

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...e rookie along slowly. Through the first half of the season, Hardaway started at the off guard slot while veteran Scott Skiles started at the point. But by midseason Hill felt Hardaway was ready, and on February 6 Penny became the Magic's starting point guard for the rest of the year. The multitalented rookie had a phenomenal first season, finishing a close second to Webber for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Hardaway played and started in all 82 games, averaging 16.0 points, 6.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He also set a club record with 190 steals, and his average of 2.32 steals per game ranked sixth in the NBA. Hardaway was named NBA Rookie of the Month for January after averaging 20.5 points, 7.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.33 steals over 15 games. In February, Hardaway was named the MVP of the NBA Rookie Game during All-Star Weekend in Minneapolis. He scored 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. Bolstered by Hardaway's contributions, the Magic set a franchise record with 50 victories and advanced to the playoffs for the first time ever. Orlando lost in the first round to the Indiana Pacers, but many felt that, for the Magic and for Hardaway, the best was yet to come.

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