Penny Hardaway inducted into Orlando Magic Hall of Fame (Video)

Even as an often divisive figure among fans, Penny Hardaway was inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame on Friday

In the 1993 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic had the first-overall selection and took Chris Webber. However, that was only before trading with the Golden State Warriors for three future first-round picks and point guard Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway out of Memphis State. Penny Hardaway would then become a building block for what could’ve been a dynasty in Orlando as a revolutionary player in the NBA.

At 6-7 and playing point guard, Hardaway broke the mold for the oversized player at the position that becomes a matchup nightmare. However, he also had the quickness and athleticism to make him truly devastating at his best.

In the six seasons he spent with the Magic, Hardaway averaged 19 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. Along with Shaquille O’Neal, the Magic could have been one of the iconic teams of the 1990s and potentially gone on to win titles. However, the breakup of that core changed that and, unfortunately, injuries derailed Penny’s promising career.

Even still, Hardaway was rightfully inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame on Friday night. That included his enshrinement prior to tip-off and then a ceremony at halftime to honor and pay tribute to the groundbreaking guard:

While he was great and iconic—largely thanks to “Li’l Penny” admittedly—his short-lived run due to injuries and the fact that he and Shaq never won a title together is disappointing.

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Even so, this is 100 percent deserved for Hardaway. When you think about greats in Magic history, Penny Hardaway is always going to be among them. No matter how brief his greatness was or how disappointing the tenure wound up being, his place in the lore of the franchise is undeniable.