Tracy McGrady marvels at how great Penny Hardaway was in Orlando: "He was the prototype"

Throughout NBA history, countless great players have left their mark on the game. Some are remembered for championships, others for clutch shots, some for dazzling moves and others for the impact they had on the next generation.

One name that often flies under the radar but is regarded by players as an all-time great is Penny Hardaway. LeBron James rarely misses an opportunity to point out how much he modeled his game after Hardaway, and recently, Tracy McGrady gave the ultimate praise to the four-time All-Star on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast.

“I was a Pippen fan, I was a Magic Johnson fan, I liked big guards,” McGrady said. “But when Penny came to Orlando, that’s different. Growing up 30 minutes from there, right? This is my favorite team at the time, I’m in high school, and I identified right away with his skill set, his personality, everything.”

“Just quiet, laid-back, quiet killer. To see how he moved and how he played was poetry in motion. So smooth, the IQ, the vision, the passing ability, being able to score inside, outside, left hand, right hand, left shoulder, right shoulder, everything you wanted from a basketball player. He was the prototype,” he added.

McGrady’s childhood idol

When McGrady was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Orlando Magic in 2000, he didn’t hesitate for a second in choosing his jersey number — Hardaway’s iconic No. 1. Inspired by his game, McGrady went on to deliver spectacular performances in an Orlando uniform, becoming a two-time NBA scoring champ. He dominated both as a shooting guard and small forward.

As one of the most skilled scorers ever, and arguably the most dominant alongside Kobe Bryant in the 2000s, McGrady did it all on the court. And Hardaway, whom he described as his childhood idol, had the biggest influence on him.

“I’m 17 years old, dog. When I go back to Penny’s crib, that sh—t, it did something to me. It opened the door, man. I’m looking at my idol, dog. I just couldn’t believe that I’m at Penny fu—in Hardaway’s crib, my ni—a,” McGrady recalled.

“He’s right in front of me, dog. Like this is somebody, how a Michael Jordan fan looks at MJ, this is how I looked at Penny Hardaway. And I’m at his house, so that impacted me,” he continued. “To this day, Penny is like my dude, my brother. I love him just for that reason, allowing me to come to his crib, cuz that impacted me moving forward in my career.”

Hardaway’s impact on the next generation

Hardaway’s all-around style, unselfish team-oriented approach and versatile scoring ability inspired the next generation of superstars. That’s why, when talking about the most impactful players to ever play the game, his name deserves to be brought up every time.

While winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy is the ultimate goal, many great players have fallen short of that achievement for one reason or another. However, that in no way diminishes their greatness on and off the court. The same should be the case for Hardaway, who, despite dealing with injuries throughout his NBA career, left a lasting impact on everyone, especially McGrady.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tracy McGrady marvels at how great Penny Hardaway was in Orlando: “He was the prototype”

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