Penny Hardaway vs current crop of PGs

[Angel Face]

Dude was a beast back then before he was injured. Where would he rank today vs current PGs?

[raprap]

He would be up there. Penny would probably put up better numbers in this era. He had all the potential in the world to be one of the goats. Sad that he got injured and Shaq bailed.

[atljonesbro]

Considering PGs today are better worse than he was in the 90s.

[Thorpesaurous]

Without the handchecking, and the zone tollerances, I'm not sure how effective the bigger guards would be. Although Penny was certainly talented enough to be the exception to most rules.

I feel like the bigger guards are hurt defensively without being able to touch. And their strength in the mid post, and ability to finish against those flying help guys that used to have to come from way way over, is negated a bit on the other end. But at the same time his vision and pnr play and his jumper could make him something more like James Harden than the more traditional PG he was back in the day.

[Dragonyeuw]

We never got to see 'prime' Penny. His best year was 95-96 at 24 years old. His prime should have occurred between 1998 and 2001 or so, by which point his knees were shot.

Based on the play we saw prior to the injuries, I have no reason to think he'd have gone on to be one of the all-time greats. So, I'm sure he'd do fine in this era.

[imdaman99]

Prime Penny? He'd be in the top 3 easily, if not the best.

[RightTwoCensor]

Penny wouldn't even play PG in this era. He'd be a 0-guard like Iverson, Arenas, Wade, Kobe, and Harden.

[SugarHill]

Penny wouldn't even play PG in this era. He'd be a 0-guard like Iverson, Arenas, Wade, Kobe, and Harden.
a what?

[ProfessorMurder]

a what?

A 0-guard numbnuts.

GOAT position :hammerhead:

[RightTwoCensor]

a what?
This:


The prototypical 0-guard: Someone who handles the ball all the time, looks for his own shot, gets to the rim at will and operates best if his teammates spread the floor to watch him. You can't call these guys point guards, and they handle the ball too much to be 2-guards. So they're 0-guards. Ideally, you want to surround 0-guards with spot-up shooters, one rebounder and a pick-and-pop forward who can make 18-footers. Gilbert Arenas created the 0-guard position, for better or worse; Dwyane Wade mastered it; Brandon Roy strikes the best balance between selfish and unselfish; and Evans might have the most raw talent of any of them.

[SugarHill]

Evans might have the most raw talent of any of them.

lol

[RightTwoCensor]

lol
This was made in like 2010 when Evans beasted on the league. lol

[kshutts1]

I like the Arenas is the one that created the position.

There was definitely never a high-usage, can-do-what-he-wants player before Arenas.

[FatComputerNerd]

Timmy was the best Hardaway

[RightTwoCensor]

0-guards have ruled the top tier of SGs in the league for years.

Harden and Ellis are the only good 0-guards in the league today.

[bizil]

I think at SG or PG that Penny would have a great case as the best at both. In terms of a skilled offensive package (scoring skillset, passing, handles), I think he's a top ten caliber player of all time talent wise at the PG or SG. I heard one scout say Penny was like George Gervin and Magic combined along with freakish athletic ability! That's how sick Penny was back in the day. If he had a more traditional peak and prime, no doubt he's a first ballot HOFer.