By Bruno Feliks NBA & FIBA Writer
Dec 6, 2025
Penny Hardaway isn’t shy about giving today’s NBA stars their flowers but when it comes to placing Nikola Jokic on the all time throne, the 90s legend isn’t ready to hand over the crown.
Hardaway, who starred in what many consider the most physically dominant era in basketball history, joined the Hoop Genius Podcast and weighed in on the rapidly growing narrative that Jokic may be the greatest to ever do it.
And while Penny praised the Denver Nuggets superstar as the clear No. 1 player of this era, he pumped the brakes hard on the GOAT talk.
“No, I don’t agree with that,” Hardaway said. “He’s the greatest in THIS era for sure… but in our era? With the bigs we had? He would have a hard time.”
Hardaway says Jokic wouldn’t breeze through the 90s
The former Magic superstar didn’t sugarcoat it. He compared Jokic’s offensive brilliance to Michael Jordan’s “could win MVP every year” dominance, but he argued that the centers of his time the ones he saw up close were built differently.
Those names include:
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Shaquille O’Neal (Penny’s teammate)
- David Robinson
- Patrick Ewing
- Alonzo Mourning
Hardaway believes those elite, mobile, back-to-the-basket giants would’ve created problems Jokic simply doesn’t face in today’s game.
“Those guys were mobile enough to guard him… guys today can’t guard him. In the 90s, every team had elite bigs and physical centers.”
The implication? Jokic may dominate modern spacing and switching defenses, but in a slower, more physical league with hand checking and constant post battles, things wouldn’t be as simple.
Today’s centers can’t slow Jokic and that’s part of the debate
There’s no denying Jokic is tearing up the modern NBA. The three time MVP casually dismantles even the league’s best bigs:
- Joel Embiid
- Anthony Davis
- Rudy Gobert
- Victor Wembanyama
- Domantas Sabonis
- Alperen Sengun
But Penny argued that today’s centers are skilled just not defensively versatile in the way 90s centers were.
Jokic thrives against rim protectors who struggle to guard in space. Against two traditional bigs? Against constant post ups? Against hand-checking? Hardaway suggests that’s where the challenge begins.
LeBron has a different view calls Jokic the “most complete player” he’s ever faced
While Penny stands firm, LeBron James has gone on record saying Jokic is the single most dominant complete player he’s ever competed against.
“There has not been a more dominant, complete player that I’ve played against… there’s nothing he cannot do.”
LeBron James
When someone with 20+ years of experience and four rings says that, people listen.
But Hardaway’s point isn’t that Jokic isn’t great. It’s that the physicality, the defensive engines, and the constant interior punishment of the 90s would’ve forced Jokic to adapt and likely lowered his offensive output.
Would Jokic survive the 90s? Absolutely. Would he dominate? That’s where the debate begins.
Jokic is unquestionably:
- One of the most skilled offensive centers ever
- A top-tier passer regardless of era
- An elite IQ player with timeless abilities
But the 90s weren’t a finesse era. They were a survive-the-paint or go home era.
Hardaway believes Jokic would excel but he wouldn’t walk through it untouched.
He’d take hits. He’d be forced to defend elite post scorers every night. He’d need to read double-teams coming from all angles. And he wouldn’t be hiding on non-shooters to save energy.
Basically: he’d still be great… but not unstoppable.
Final Thoughts: Jokic’s greatness isn’t in question but his GOAT status is far from settled
Hardaway’s take reflects a growing divide between fans and players across eras:
- Modern fans see Jokic’s stats, efficiency, titles, and highlight IQ plays.
- 90s stars see a player they respect deeply but one who never experienced the nightly physical war they lived through.
The truth probably lies in the middle:
Jokic would be incredible in any era but the 90s would’ve tested him in ways the modern NBA simply doesn’t.
And that’s what makes this debate so addictive.
