Penny Hardaway was one of the elite NBA stars selected to represent Team USA in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. For Hardaway, it was not just a prestigious sporting event but a transformative experience that solidified his place in basketball history and, more importantly, a moment that allowed him to form unbreakable bonds with his colleagues in the game.
From the preparation to the actual Olympic games, Penny felt a mix of excitement and pride, having gotten the chance to play for the country on his home soil. However, it was the camaraderie that developed among every member of Team USA that Hardaway cherishes the most, even to this day.
"It's an unbelievable feeling, especially with the Olympics was in Atlanta… to be able to play in front of my family and friends, and win the gold medal, practice against those great guys every day, you had the best coaches in the world coaching you, it was just a great experience," Hardaway told USA Basketball in 2020.
"My favorite moment definitely was winning the gold medal, but the other moments where just the practices, competitive practices, just being there, just going in it with the best guys, the best players in the world, and it gave some great relationships and friendships on those games and on those practices, and I've been with those guys for full summer so those are some great memories me and John Stockton, was just talking about those days of the '96 Olympics," he added.
Penny's special Dream Team memory
Apart from 1996, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics were also memorable for Hardaway, who was one of the top college players in the country and a member of the Select Team that infamously beat the Dream Team in a scrimmage.
Unsurprisingly, the Dream Team avenged that loss, but for Penny, torching a carefully curated group of future Hall of Famers holds a special place in his memories for obvious reasons.
"The first scrimmage we smacked them because they didn't take us seriously. We were having so much fun that the next day when we came back after beating that ass, these boys were so much more physical because the first game they weren't so physical. They beat our ass, and it was a lesson learned because we caught them off guard," Hardaway recalled.
Penny was a key contributor to Team USA
As many expected, Team USA dominated their opponents in the 1996 Olympics en route to the gold. Hardaway played a crucial role in the team's success, contributing both as a scorer and a playmaker.
Penny finished the tournament, joining Gary Payton as the team's leader in assists per game with 4.4. He also co-led the team with John Stockton in steals per game with 1.4.
Related: "He was Kobe before Kobe" — Shaquille O'Neal explains why Penny Hardaway was better than Kobe Bryant
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