“Didn’t Have To Challenge Penny Hardaway”: Shaquille O’Neal’s Candid Evaluation Of Kobe Bryant vs Ex-Magic Teammate

Shaquille O’Neal took the NBA by storm as soon as he landed in 1992, putting Orlando on the map. After leaving the city, he joined teams and shared locker rooms with some absolute legends. While he shared good relationships with most, things were slightly more challenging with some.

At the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaq had a very fragile bond with Kobe Bryant, which, despite winning three back-to-back championships, eventually fell apart. Bryant was the emerging star, and the two often butted heads. Eventually, the tension between the two caused a rift in the locker room, leading the Lakers to trade Shaq.

That said, no one pushed Shaq more than Bryant did. On the court, they were tremendously successful and played some of the best basketball of their career. That kind of pushing each other never happened when Shaq shared the locker room with Magic legend Penny Hardaway.

On the Ausamerican Aces podcast, The Diesel was asked about which teammate challenged him the most during his career. After a brief pause, he, unsurprisingly, took Bryant’s name before talking about Hardaway.

“I think, me and Kobe, we challenged each other. When I first came in, I was the guy, I challenged everybody, didn’t have to challenge Penny Hardaway, he had everything,” the Lakers legend said.

Hardaway came into the NBA a year after Shaq did and had an immediate impact, rising to an All-Star level in the blink of an eye. Perhaps that’s why, Shaq, as a young talent in Orlando, didn’t feel the need to ‘challenge’ him.

That Orlando team was special, and in 1995, it became the last team to take down Michael Jordan in a playoff series. However, MJ took revenge the very next year and swept the Magic in the conference finals. Had it not been for Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, the Shaq-Penny duo may have had an NBA championship to boast about.

Bryant was arguably Shaq’s best and most difficult teammate. And their relationship eventually turned to borderline animosity, but the respect was always there. Shaq treated him the way he only treats those he considers truly special, antagonizing them to bring out their best. It was the same with Penny.

Shaq’s fallout and reconciliation with Hardaway

Shaq and Hardaway were good. During their three seasons together, from 1993 to 1996, they formed one of the best duos in the league. Both finished top-10 in the NBA MVP ladder each of those years. Mind you, both were in their early 20s at the time.

So, why did Shaq leave for the Lakers in 1996? The answer is professional jealousy.

Years later, Shaq admitted that he let egos come in the way of what was good for the team, and that he wasn’t able to deal with Hardaway’s rising influence in the Magic locker room. O’Neal also blurted out certain things before leaving the team, which he later regretted and apologized for.

“I would like to take the time to apologize to you [Hardaway],” Shaq said. “I probably said some stuff I shouldn’t have said. If I ever did rub you the wrong way…I apologize.” 

It was a moment of humble admission from one of the greatest to ever play the game. And although there’s no scope for regret given the success Shaq enjoyed with Bryant in LA, the ‘what if’ question surrounding him and Hardaway will always linger.