HoopsHype.com Rumors

When Dwight Howard thinks of the 1990s Orlando Magic, he doesn’t think of Shaquille O’Neal, the dominant big man who Howard is so often compared to. No, Howard says he associates those Magic teams with Penny Hardaway, who made four all-star teams with the Magic and Howard thinks so highly of Hardaway, in fact, that he thinks the organization should put Hardaway’s No. 1 jersey in the Amway Center rafters as its first retired number. “I think when the season starts – whenever that may be – he should have his jersey put up for what he did not just the team, but for the city,” Howard said. “We all know how great Penny has been for the game of basketball.” Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, Penny Hardaway 

Former NBA star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway will announce today that he plans to play a role in a $20 million project that will impact "the future of youth sports in Memphis." Hardaway has scheduled a 4:30 p.m. press conference at Gameday Sports Park in Cordova for the announcement. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Penny Hardaway 

Dwight Howard apparently encountered little difficulty convincing current and former Orlando Magic players to participate in his charity exhibition game Nov. 13 at UCF Arena. Kevin Samples, Howard's manager, said that barring unforeseen conflicts, 18 people have committed to play, including former Magic players Vince Carter, Penny Hardaway and Steve Francis. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Lockout, Penny Hardaway, Steve Francis 

Rudy Gay has played in some of the charity games his fellow NBA players have arranged during the lockout. Now the Memphis Grizzlies forward has decided to hold his own game. Gay announced on Twitter that he has organized an exhibition for Nov. 8. The game will be played at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., just outside of Memphis, and proceeds will benefit Flight 22 Foundation, Gay’s nonprofit group raising money for childhood education in Memphis and his hometown of Baltimore. Among those committed are Kevin Durant, John Wall, Grizzlies teammates Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo. Former NBA player Penny Hardaway also will play. Gay is expected to announce other players in the coming days. The Tennessean

Memphis Grizzlies, Rudy Gay, Kevin Durant, Zach Randolph, John Wall, Lockout, Penny Hardaway 

Q: Everybody here obviously is curious to know what’s going to happen with Dwight Howard. Do you know him or have any contact with him at all? Penny Hardaway: I don’t know him, but he came on my radio show last Tuesday and I really didn’t ask him any tough questions, but I think he’s gonna stay here. Well, I hope he does. Q: What was the veteran leadership like when you were in the NBA as far as them giving you perspective on fighting the bigger fights for players in the league? A: I think the veteran guys back then were very strong, they were good leaders, they definitely gave us the pros and cons of every decision that we were gonna make. And the only thing that we did wrong was, that I felt, is that we priced the veterans out of the league. With the minimum being a million dollars and when the economy went bad, a million dollars was a lot of money to a lot of teams and they didn’t want any veterans anymore because of that reason so hopefully they’ll give a better deals for the veterans so the veterans can stay in as long as they want. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, Penny Hardaway 

Q: What’s been your take on the NBA lockout as you’ve watched the events transpire and do you think it will last for a while? Penny Hardaway: My view is just the owners are probably a little upset about what happened last year with the LeBron [James] situation and it was kind of like an eyesore for the league because of how it happened with the decision, LeBron and Chris Bosh going to Miami. But I think it’s gonna last a while because they’re gonna want to get some things straight where players can’t leave a franchise without anything. So I think it’s gonna be a while. Orlando Sentinel

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, Penny Hardaway, NBPA 

Q: Do you think there will be an All-Star game here in Orlando next year? A: I hope so, I really want to see it back here. That would be unfortunate if the lockout went all the way through the All-Star weekend and didn’t come through here. Q: What’s your take on all these guys talking about going overseas? Is that a good look? A: It’s definitely not a good look. It’s not a good look because it means you’re not caring about what’s going on over here, you’re just gonna go and make money. But hey, that’s the way it works. Every guy has a right to do whatever they want to do and would just say good luck to those guys who are gonna go do that. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, Penny Hardaway, NBPA 

Orlando Magic president Alex Martins: We've had great players in our franchise, like Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Nick Anderson, Penny Hardaway, but I have no doubt when I say Dwight Howard is the most important player in the Orlando Magic history. Dwight is the best among a lot of great players we've had. Solobasket

Orlando Magic, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway, Alex Martins 

Anyone that watched the NBA in the 1990′s knows who Penny Hardaway is. He was part of the 1996 Gold medal Olympic team and had a very successful career with a few different teams. I think I even had his shoes growing up! Well he was also a Ford Mustang fan and sunk over $30,000 into this 1965 Ford Mustang. Current bid has it just under the amount of money he has put into the car and it shows an offer has already been made on the car. Check out the auction for more images. mustangevolution.com

Penny Hardaway 

Chris Miller: Gilbert Arenas plans to wear #1 as a member of the Magic to pay tribute to his favorite player Penny Hardaway. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Gilbert Arenas, Penny Hardaway 

"I grew up a Magic fan. Penny Hardaway was my favorite player,'' he said. "I've spent my summers here. I'm ecstatic about this.'' FanHouse.com

Orlando Magic, Gilbert Arenas, Penny Hardaway 

Arenas was dropped from his long-time shoe company, adidas, immediately after he pleaded guilty to felony gun possession last January. He has been wearing Nikes during practice, including a pair of Penny Hardaway "Half-Penny" shoes for media day, but a Nike spokesman said on Tuesday that he has not signed a new deal with the company. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas, Penny Hardaway 

There's a reason nearly everyone who spoke at Lorenzen Wright's memorial service Wednesday afternoon at FedExForum referred to his infectious smile. According to longtime friend Penny Hardaway, that's what Wright was all about. As those who knew Wright reminisced about his life, their fondest memories often brought a smile or a chuckle -- just the way Wright would have wanted it. "Lorenzen was always a practical joker," Hardaway said. "He always wanted the last laugh on people. In the gym, he was the life of the party, the loudest, always in a good manner. He always made people laugh and smile." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Penny Hardaway, Lorenzen Wright 

But Miami is the organization where Hardaway feels most at home these days, even if the Heat apparently have no interest in seeing if he's still got game. The initial headlines created by his Internet declaration of a comeback quickly gave way to reality: Closure to his career on his own terms is unlikely. "That was something that I felt in my heart, that I felt my talent would match well with those guys [in Miami]. I wasn't trying to come back to the league, just that I could help in that role," Hardaway said. "If it doesn't work out, I'm going to stay retired." Orlando Sentinel

Basketball fans wrinkled their eyebrows at the news of Penny Hardaway announcing he was putting his name in the hat for a role player position with the Miami Heat last week. But Hardaway, who celebrated his 39th birthday Sunday, told the Orlando Sentinel he is not trying to make a grand return to the NBA. “That was something that I felt in my heart that I felt my talent would match well with those guys. I wasn’t trying to come back to the league, just that I could help in that role,” Penny Hardaway told the Orlando Sentinel Monday. “If it doesn’t work out, I’m going to stay retired.” Orlando Sentinel

Penny Hardaway insists that he's interesting in coming back to the NBA in general, and the Miami Heat in particular. When trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joined forces to play on the Heat, Hardaway -- who hasn't played in the NBA since 2007 with the Heat -- said he got the itch to return. "I'm just throwing my name in the hat," Hardaway said on ESPN's Outside The Lines. "I'm just one to put my name out there and say, hey, I would love to be one of the guys to be on that team." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Free Agency, Penny Hardaway 

Hardaway last played in 2007 with the Heat. He played in 16 games that season, averaging 20 minutes and 3.8 points. "I just really hope that they give me a great opportunity to come back down and show that I can do the things that I did a couple years ago," he said on Outside the Lines. Thursday, on an online radio program he co-hosts, he said after the signings of James and Bosh, and Wade's return, "I felt like I could really be good in that system." Balky knees helped force Hardaway into retirement, but he says he's feeling better, working out and playing five days a week. And he stressed to OTL that he's not talking about major minutes. Hardaway turns 39 this weekend. "I felt like with a minimal role of what they're trying to fill, a very small piece in a big puzzle, it doesn't really matter your age," he said. "If you can have a good influence on the team, whether it be in the locker room or on the floor, I feel like I can do that, that's why I really want to go back because I really feel like I can help that team." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Free Agency, Penny Hardaway 

"I'm not trying to relive anything," he said. "... I keep myself in shape, I love the game of basketball and I really feel like it doesn't matter about your age." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Free Agency, Penny Hardaway