Penny and G. Hill.....what could have been ?

Question

To me these two could have been huge. I attribute the decline in the popularity of the NBA after Jordan left to not only Jordan, but also to the downfall of these two guys. They were who I thought would take the thrown after Jordan. Jordan himself even once said he felt like the proper player to pass the thrown to was Penny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS7yjpdikNA

-check the video.

But i have some questions to spark debate.

If Penny never got hurt, where do you think he would be on the list of all time great? How about Grant Hill?

Would you take a prime Penny or Lebron RIGHT NOW?

These questions have been asked many times. But how about this: If Penny and G Hill never got hurt, would the league have been looked at differently by the media from 1999 - 2005 if these two guys were the face of the league? I say 1999 - 2005 because if they never got hurt, I would assume they would have dominated for around 5 years like most greats do. And if you remember, the league started gaining the reputation of being a "thug" league around 2000 when Iverson, Francis, and Marbury - three so-called "thugs" - were gaining popularity and the JailBlazers were around. Penny and G Hill were the furthest thing you could find from being "gangsta".

Answer 1

Penny would of been more along the lines of a poor man's tracy mcgrady, funny because tracy said he patterned his game after penny when he was growing up in florida as a kid. Penny was an all around talent, but he was a poor defender and had ego issues (not that shaq didn't as well), he was a good scorer but moved away from being a play-maker when shaq left and tried to be a leader, but in a fairness he's not a guy you follow into the trenches. I think he would've been successful for a while, as he was when shaq left, but ultimately he'd slide down the star scale.

Grant Hill on the other hand... wow... he would've been something special with him and T-Mac in orlando... i don't think Tracy McGrady would have this "never out of the first round" stigma over his head if Hill had been healthy, and i truly believe that they would of challenged the lakers for a ring (and lose, but still...).

i would take LeBron over Penny in his prime.

Times where changing as did the face of the athlete. i've always felt that the "thug" image was more trumped up than what it really was by the media, but now its been embraced and handled. the league learned that it needs to control the image of the players and not the other way around. jail blazers have be broken up long ago, iverson, marbury and francis still would be in the league regardless and i believe all things happen for a reason as iverson has changed his image and both marbury and francis are not even respected in the league now days.

So i don't think they would have had that much impact... though hill would definitely give you a polar opposite of how a player should conduct themselves off the court.

Answer 2

HEY MAYBE ADD VC TO THAT LIST..

Answer 3

penny hardaway only became overrated and popular because shaq carried him on their team, orlando magic. without shaq he is just an average ball player.

Answer 4

I actaully have a book from back in the day that shows the greatest NBA players of the time.  In that book, they say that Grant Hill is going to be the next Michael Jordan.  Well, since injuries happened we'll never be able to know.  I also wish Penny never was hurt because I would love to still be seeing "Little Penny" commericals on TV.

Answer 5

penny had his shot at fame. it's up for him to carry it, injured or not. maybe he just couldn't handle it. maybe it's not his persona.

grant hill has what it takes but his injuries bothered him. it's actually the fans who carried on to root for him, which affects a lot of his value as a player on and off court.

if anyone, chris webber could have been great too.