Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway already mentored Golden State Warriors big man James Wiseman way back in high school before they joined forces in the collegiate ranks. The former NBA star was also an Orlando Magic teammate of a young Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most dominant big men of all time.
With Wiseman already making waves in the league as a rookie with the Warriors, it's only natural for Penny to use Shaq as a reference point given his experience with the two men. Of course, there's a major difference:
“No,” Hardaway said of the Warriors rookie, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “He doesn’t have the meanness that Shaq had all the time. Shaq had a chip. Shaq always had a plan. And Shaq always knew he was the best. James carries that chip now. But Shaq always knew he was the chosen one. Shaq came from a different path. He had a military base stepfather. That military background helped Shaq be tougher. James was raised with women. He had his mom and his sister. They kind of babied him and spoiled him, not in a bad way. They were firm. But it wasn’t the same.”
The now-Warriors center was eventually brought by Hardaway from Ensworth to Memphis East High School, where he spent his last two years in high school. From a lanky teenager, Hardaway eventually molded Wiseman to become tougher and get more physical in the paint:
“It got to him,” Hardaway said. “He took the challenge. The lightbulb went off. Suddenly, the same guys who’d knock him down, he wouldn’t allow that anymore. When he did get knocked down, he’d get up and go to the same move. Didn’t shy away from it.”
This mindset will help Wiseman as he learns the NBA and his Warriors career progresses. The 19-year-old has already been making a name for himself with the Warriors as he aims to be a valuable contributor to the team in his rookie season. Though James Wiseman will never be Shaq, he can carve out his own path in the NBA and become a dominant big man in his own right.
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