Penny Hardaway, former NBA All-Star and 1990s standout, expressed frustration with today’s league. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Hardaway said, “It’s just not fun to watch anymore,” citing a shift toward three-point shooting and away from fundamental team play.
Hardaway, 54, spent 14 seasons in the league, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1994 and third in the MVP race in 1996. “Over the years, to me, it’s just getting worse and worse. Not in a bad way. But for me to watch, because I’m in college, I see the fundamentals and playing team ball,” he added.
He singled out specific teams for playing the game the right way. Hardaway praised the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Memphis Grizzlies for their style, noting the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves as enjoyable to watch due to players like Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards.
The 2025-26 NBA season shows stark contrasts in team approaches. In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City leads at 24-2, while the Thunder’s style emphasizes ball movement and efficient scoring over sheer volume of threes. Denver and Los Angeles follow, but teams like Sacramento and New Orleans struggle at 6-20 and 5-22, respectively.
In the East, Detroit tops the standings at 21-5, while the Washington Wizards languish at 4-20. Hardaway’s comment highlights a growing divide between teams embracing analytics-driven offense and those adhering to traditional fundamentals.
Hardaway also criticized the modern reliance on perimeter shooting. “Just shooting all the threes now is just a little irritating to me to just watch an NBA game. No one shoots layups anymore,” he said, emphasizing a preference for classic interior play and structured teamwork.
Despite his critique, Hardaway continues to follow the league closely. He remains engaged with young stars and sees promise in teams that balance modern efficiency with traditional basketball principles.
