A biography for Penny Hardawayhasn’t been written yet.
“Orlando is my history.”
“I am used to the hype because I played in the NBA.”
“I didn't care about titles unless they were championship titles. I don't care about who the man is on the team.”
“I was one of the best players in the NBA.”
“Basketball gave me an avenue to live my dream, and I just want to help other kids live their dreams through me.”
“I didn't do it the traditional way of being an assistant first and then becoming a head coach.”
“I was a sneakerhead before I even made it to the NBA.”
“Recruiting is tough because you have to stay in the battle. You've got so many guys that are going after a certain amount of kids.”
“Mentally I was retired, and physically I was retired. I was playing recreational ball. But when the decision happened with Chris Bosh and LeBron, I felt like I could really be good in that system.”
“I don't think about the money side. I just think about how I can create a culture of winning.”
“People who weren't watching basketball were still fans of Lil Penny.”
“If I've learned anything, it's that you can't take anything for granted.”
“I want to finish my career on a high note.”
“I can pass on a lot of information. I'm just never going to be the 21-year-old Penny Hardaway again.”
“It's amazing to see these young guys come into the league and want to wear my shoes.”
“I think it's a huge compliment from the younger guys understanding what I did for the game and wanting to represent me by wearing my shoes.”
“It's a huge honor to be put in the Hall of Fame... it's even better because I played there for six years, and I left on bad terms. To be able to come back and be recognized - in hindsight, I wish I would have stayed, because everyone understands my career was large in Orlando.”
“I've coached grassroots for eight years, I coached middle school, and I coached high school.”
“I was as popular as you can be - All-NBA, Olympian. You couldn't get any higher than where I was.”
“There's going to be situations that you get into that you're going to need help, for sure. But for the most part, I think coaching is just understanding who you have and your team, understanding yourself, and understanding the situation.”