Penny Hardaway was considered the type of talent you'd see maybe once a decade. At 6'6", the guard had size and ball handling skill comparable to Magic Johnson along with speed, athleticism and scoring ability believed to challenge the great Michael Jordan.
During his time with the Orlando Magic, Hardaway looked poised to takeover the league as the four-time All-Star quickly established himself as one of the premiere talents in the Eastern Conference along with then teammate and rising star, Shaquille O'Neal.
His well-rounded game made him a shoe-in for the 1996 US Olympic Team and there, he won a gold medal. Off the court, Hardaway's campaign with Nike was one of the most successful, birthing some of the most popular sneakers of the 90's, aptly named after him of course.
So after a series of crippling injuries cut his career short, it was believed that Hardaway would be content to kick back, relax and enjoy his enormous wealth. However, he returned home at the request of a childhood friend to fulfill a promise.
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