In a heart-stopping Game 1 clash, the Cavs and Pacers delivered a basketball spectacle for the ages. With lead changes, late-game heroics, and fans holding their breath, the Pacers snatched victory in the dying seconds. Yet, looming large over Cleveland’s hopes for a comeback is the shadow of injury—an all-too-familiar storyline in the NBA. Just ask Penny Hardaway, whose awe-inspiring talent and electric rookie-year performances once hinted at a GOAT debate with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and others. The former NBA player believes that he might have been in the debate if it weren’t for his injuries. And what’s most painful about it is there’s more to his injuries that he recently opened up about. His regrets now serve as a cautionary tale for the injury-ridden Cleveland Cavaliers.
Soon after getting drafted by the Orlando Magic, the then-rookie quickly carved out his space in the league. He was a 3x All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, and a fixture in the MVP conversation. In his second season in the league, he averaged 20.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while leading the team to a 57-win season. And they also made their first-ever NBA Finals appearance. He was phenomenal. Hardaway was an elite player and was praised for his remarkable speed and skills.
Hardaway struggled due to his knee injuries before the 2000s, and even after surgeries, he wasn’t the same. During his appearance on The OGs podcast, he shared an upsetting detail. Strong-headed, he told, he was able to show up in games because of his mental toughness, but it ultimately ruined his career. “What helped me get through is what ruined my what ended my career,” Hardaway told Haslem.
He revealed that he never let his injury heal properly, leaving him with long-term issues. “I was so tough-minded, I was like I’m going to play through this… If you watch me later when I started having surgeries, I would never fully heal, and I don’t knowif I was just saying if at 80% I’m as good as anybody, let me just get out here and help my team I never fully heal That was a toughness that I got taught. And being there for my teammates and it really ruined my career because I didn’t allow myself to fully heal,” Hardaway regretted.
He continued to play for the love of the game and his former teammates. And that ended up with him not paying enough attention to his injuries. Do we see a similar situation in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers? The team has been quite dominant throughout, but recently has struggled with concerning injuries. Ahead of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, some of the Cavaliers players were injured.
Darius Garland is dealing with a toe injury. Adding to that is Evan Mobley, dealing with a sprained ankle, and De’Andre Hunter, with a sprained thumb. They were all ruled out for the action. The scary part was Donovan Mitchell’s fall in the game.
NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship-Memphis vs UAB Mar 16, 2025 Fort Worth, TX, USA Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway reacts against the UAB Blazers during the first half at Dickies Arena. Fort Worth Dickies Arena TX USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xChrisxJonesx 20250316_szo_qr0_0319
During the matchup against the Pacers, Mitchell fell awkwardly while going for a rebound as Aaron Nesmith scored. He was seen wincing with pain. However, later he said, “I’m banged up, but we all are. It is what it is. We got two days to get ready for Friday.” Does this sound familiar to what Hardaway expressed?
This isn’t the only regret that Hardaway has. He dealt with another during his career.
Tim Hardaway opens up about one regret involving Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal’s decision to leave the Orlando Magic to join the Lakers in 1996 was sudden. Hardaway found out about the news through the media while he was at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. He felt that O’Neal had stayed with the Magic during that time, the team might have been able to secure a win. The duo of Hardaway and O’Neal was a deadly one!
Not just Hardaway, some experts have also shared that they held the same opinion. The Magic legend once claimed that this is the thing he regrets in his career. He explained that the Big Aristotle’s departure left such a big void in the team that it was tough for them to recover.
“I wanted to win a Championship. I felt like our Championship run was cut short when Shaq went from us to the Lakers and I knew that was going to be devastating but you lose a guy of that magnitude but the only thing that I regret is not winning a championship,” Hardaway shared on the Let’s Be Clear Podcast.
Even O’Neal himself regretted leaving the Orlando Magic. He added that if he and Hardaway had stayed together, the team would have had a better chance of winning. Later, injuries took a toll on Hardaway. However, that’s all in the past. With 4× NBA All-Star appearances and 2× All-NBA First Team selections, Hardaway achieved several accolades and has had a celebrated career, which remains an inspiration to aspiring young players today.
The post Amid Cavaliers’ Injuries, Penny Hardaway’s Career-Ending Regret a Warning to Donovan Mitchell & Co. appeared first on EssentiallySports.