Penny Hardaway isn’t shy about calling it like he sees it. And when it comes to today’s NBA, the Memphis Tigers head coach - and former NBA All-Star - says the league just doesn’t do it for him anymore.
“It’s just not fun to watch,” Hardaway said during his weekly radio show on December 15. That’s a bold statement coming from a guy who spent 14 seasons in the league, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1994, and was a legit MVP candidate in 1996. But for Hardaway, the game he once starred in has drifted too far from the fundamentals he values.
“It’s like, over the years, to me, it’s just getting worse and worse,” he explained. “Not in a bad way - but for me to watch, because I’m in college, I see the fundamentals and playing team ball.
And just shooting all the 3's now is just a little irritating to me to just watch an NBA game. No one shoots layups anymore.”
It’s not that Hardaway is turning his back on the league entirely. He still tunes in here and there - especially when certain teams are on the floor. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics, for example, get his stamp of approval.
“I do love watching [the Thunder], not because they’re the best team in the NBA, but they play the game the right way,” he said. “(And the) Celtics, they play the game the right way.”
That phrase - “the right way” - says a lot about where Hardaway’s basketball compass points. He’s a purist at heart, someone who came up in an era where ball movement, mid-range games, and physicality were the norm.
The modern NBA’s pace-and-space, three-point-heavy style? It just doesn’t scratch the same itch.
Still, he hasn’t completely closed the door on today’s stars. He keeps tabs on the Memphis Grizzlies, stays curious about how they’re evolving, and enjoys watching Jalen Brunson with the Knicks and Anthony Edwards with the Timberwolves.
But when he gets a break from his own team - which he will from December 22 to December 31 - Hardaway won’t be binging NBA games. Instead, he’s diving headfirst into the college game. He plans to watch 50 college basketball matchups over the holiday stretch.
That’s not surprising given how invested he is in the college game - and how much it aligns with his basketball philosophy. Even with all the changes in the NCAA over the past few years - from looser transfer rules to the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals - Hardaway still prefers the college style of play.
“But I’ll take that style over the NBA,” he said.
Hardaway’s Memphis squad, now in his eighth season at the helm, has had its ups and downs. He’s compiled a 159-73 record and led the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Round of 32 run in 2022.
But this season has been a grind. Memphis sits at 4-5 and faces a major test on December 17, when they host undefeated No.
11 Vanderbilt at FedExForum (6 p.m. CT, ESPN2).
For Hardaway, it’s clear - his heart remains in the college game. The fundamentals, the team-first mentality, the grit - that’s where he finds joy. And while the NBA continues to evolve, he’s content focusing on the game as he believes it should be played.