Penny Hardaway shares why he looked up to Earvin Johnson: 'For me, it was Magic all the way'

When Anfernee Hardaway arrived in the NBA, he reminded everyone of Earvin Johnson. Penny was a 6'7" point guard who could shoot, pass, rebound, and defend.

It turns out that their games were similar because Hardaway watched Magic run the show for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s while growing up in Memphis. Penny, on the other hand, patterned his game after his childhood idol when he started playing basketball.

"It was strictly Magic for me because of how he approached the game," said Hardaway on "The Draymond Green podcast" when Baron Davis asked him about his biggest influence as a player. "You're talking about a fierce competitor. You talk about somebody who was happy to make everybody else better. You're talking about somebody who was going to win at all costs. Champion, did whatever it took. Played five spots in the NBA. Who can say one guy played five spots like that throughout his career? And he was a PG, 6'9" PG."

Never fear, Magic is here

At 6'9", Earvin was an anomaly because, as Penny said, he played point guard. But Johnson didn't just play the one position. Because of his height, the Michigan State product could play all positions on the court, including center.

As a rookie, Johnson famously stepped in and played the five for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals. Magic delivered on his "Never fear. Magic is here" quote with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists as the Lakers clinched their first championship since 1972.

"He wasn't the most athletic, he wasn't the fastest dude," added Penny. "He was getting picked up 94 feet by guys. He understood IQ on how to get the ball into position when somebody bigger played him. He had all the shots. He developed the skyhook. He posted up. It was just ridiculous, bro. So for me, it was Magic all the way, man, just watching him."

The next Magic

That influence showed in Hardaway's game. Beginning his sophomore year in high school, Penny was compared to Johnson. When Anfernee played in the NBA, he was dubbed the "Next Magic". Even Earvin himself made that comparison.

"He makes it worse," said Penny. "I tell him to stop saying that, but he always says, 'When I look at Anfernee, it seems like I'm looking at myself in the mirror'. It's good for him to say that, but it just puts more pressure on me."

Like Magic, Penny thrived under pressure. In his second year in the league, Hardaway's Orlando team became the only team to beat Michael Jordan in the playoffs during their dynasty run. The Magic also made the 1995 NBA Finals but were swept by the Rockets. Unfortunately, injuries cut short Anfernee's prime, and he could not realize his full potential in the NBA.