Phoenix—When Anfernee Hardaway first
joined Shaquille O’Neal and the Orlando Magic in 1993, Sports Illustrated
predicted that the duo would be as dominant in the 1990’s as Magic Johnson
and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had been in the 1980’s. At least for the
first few years before O’Neal hightailed it to Los Angeles, these predictions
seemed to approximate the truth. Hardaway dazzled crowds and critics
alike with his uncommon athleticism, ability to both pass and shoot, and
masterful ball-handling, while O’Neal battled with the likes of David Robinson,
Hakeem Olajuwon, and Patrick Ewing for the title of “league’s best big
man.” When the Magic reached the NBA finals in 1995, many said that
we were watching manifest destiny in the making.
In retrospect, O’Neal’s move West
was far more destined from the outset than an Orlando dynasty ever was.
Those of us who truly enjoyed watching this tandem play, however, can only
wonder what might have been built in South Florida had fortune, that two-hearted
river, veered one way and not the other.
While O’Neal suits up this season
for the NBA Champion Lakers (Bling Bling), Hardaway begins the season without
a sense of when he will return from his most recent knee injury.
He's said he is not close to being able to play, and that he is capable
of only the most controlled movements.
This is a sad state of affairs for
a player who should be a perennial all-star. Hardaway’s career has
been crippled by a constant stream of leg and foot injuries over the last
five years. In 1996, after O’Neal left for Los Angeles, Hardaway
seemed poised to become one of the leagues leading scorers. During
the two previous years, despite the presence of a teammate who bore a disproportional
brunt of the scoring burden for the team, Hardaway averaged 20+ points
while dishing out 7 assists per game. He was the model of the modern
point guard. He could shoot, pass, play defense, and moonlight as
a small forward. He was the NBA’s Alex Rodriguez.
Like so many other great players
whose careers were marred by injuries (Bill Walton for instance), it is
not likely that Hardaway will ever regain the dominant form that made him
such a wonder to watch.
All that said, Hardaway could still
have a tremendous positive impact as a member of the Phoenix Suns.
Last year, the Suns were 42-18 with Hardaway in the line-up and 11-11 without
him. For the Suns to continue to succeed, it is crucial that Hardaway
recovers as fully as possible. Though he may never again be the Penny
we knew, he may be the Penny the Suns need to achieve true playoff success
this year.
