Penny was tall and explosive but he was headed towards that tier of point guards that included Kevin Johnson and Tim Hardaway. Hill was a stat machine, especially on the boards but I picked Roy. Roy had something Hill didn't, an ability to take the game into his hands in the final 2 minutes and will his team to a win. I couldn't see Grant Hill as the best player on a championship team, with Roy I could.
I think the Oden example highlights why these what-if questions are pointless. Oden's body was fatally flawed from the start. Same with Yao's and Rik Smits' feet. That's almost as big a flaw as being bad at basketball. Saying what if such-and-such traumatic injury never happened is one thing, but theorizing on what would happen if a player's body wasn't debilitated by the strain of the NBA is something again. In no alternate universe does Oden have a career free of major injury.
Yeah, but it's more fun than FIRE MCHALE or WHERE'S DONUTS/VSPAN? or HEY DID YOU KNOW THE LAKERS AREN'T VERY GOOD?
can't even call it, penny- pg with size that could play the post and had a little range, played above the rim grant hill- yes, he really could do it all brandon roy- played above the rim, could make clutch shots, not a bad distibutor
Penny never really got a chance to be the man. The year Shaq left is when the injuries started. Shaq was hurt to start the 95-96 season. Penny averaged 25 and 7 on 50% shooting and the led the Magic to a 24-6 start. He was really a SG, but i think he would have been a superstar. A longer Dwayne Wade. Grant Hill put up numbers but I don't ever remember him being dominant. He didn't really seem like he could take over a game. He was a great player, but needed a star with him to win you anything. Roy was clutch, but he was a step down from those 2. Hell of a player, but limited. So Penny IMO
It's close but I go with Penny over Hill because while both guys had the ability to fill the box score the one thing that seperated them is that Penny had the better perimeter game. Hill had a mid range shot but was no threat from downtown. Even if the injuries never happened, at some point age would have caught up to both guys and they wouldn't be able to dominate based on their physical skills alone. I think Penny was more adapt to succed at that point over Hill and thus would have been the better player had they avoided their major injuries.
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Not sure why T-Mac is in this conversation, considering the timing of his injuries were so much later than the 3 listed in the OP. Personally I have to go with Penny Hardaway. He was the once in a decade nightmare matchup. A 6-7 PG that can shoot, drive, post up, everything.
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I'm surprised to see Penny get so much respect. He was a good, promising player, but he didn't seem that special.
Agree and disagree. He was special but it was blown out of proportion as I mentioned because of the commercials, making the finals playing alongside Shaq and he was a flashy player with style.
Grant Hill = God? Next MJ? What the heck are you guys remembering? He was a first-teamer once. Only averaged over 21.4 points per game once. Never made it out of the first round of the playoffs until he was an older player in Phoenix. Was an excellent all-around player, but not nearly a LeBron level talent like many of you are suggesting.
Only averaged over 21.4 points per game once?? Yet he managed to average 21.58 points per game, 7.76 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals over course of his 6 years. In addition he was really coming into his own as a leader. He also led the Pistons to the Playoffs in 3 out of those first 6 years being the man without much help.
Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill's offensive numbers are a bit deflated considering they didn't play in a distinctive no hand checking era.
T-Mac's last nearly full season was at 25 years old. First season with Houston...We never got Orlando T-Mac.
