Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18, 1971) is a retired American professional
basketball player who played in the
National Basketball Association (NBA), specializing as an unconventionally tall
point guard. Hardaway's most productive years came in his days as a member of the
Orlando Magic as well as the early portion of his stint with the
Phoenix Suns. Hardaway often was compared to
Magic Johnson during his tenure because both had incredible size and quickness at the point guard position. Hardaway was an
All-NBA player early in his career, but was plagued by constant injuries which gradually reduced his effectiveness. He played for the
New York Knicks from 2004 to 2006 and last played for the
Miami Heat, who released him December 12, 2007.