LOS ANGELES – The basketball world has just witnessed a devastating earthquake, not from the court, but from the glib tongue of one of the most talented guards of the 90s: Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. Hardaway, now head coach of the Memphis Tigers, has sparked a public war, declaring that Nikola Jokić, the reigning MVP and NBA champion, would not have lasted a single minute in his golden era of basketball.

In a closed-door interview with a West Coast tabloid, Hardaway bluntly dismissed any attempts by younger analysts to elevate Jokić to the “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) status. Hardaway declared: “Listen, Jokić is a genius, I admit. He has passes that even Magic Johnson would nod in approval of. But GOAT? No way! He wasn’t built for my ’90s.”

Hardaway’s next words were even more scathing, directly targeting the Serbian star’s supposedly “fragile” physique. “He looks like a butcher after work, not a top athlete. Imagine Jokić facing Shaq at his peak, or Patrick Ewing, or Hakeem Olajuwon,” Penny sneered. “Those guys would turn him into a pancake. They’d crush him under the basket. The rules back then allowed strong contact. Jokić would be crying and running off the court after the first quarter.”

Hardaway emphasized that Jokić’s fast-paced, intelligent, and skill-based style of play would be completely stifled by the violent, physically demanding style of play of the previous era. “He benefited from the new rules, where centers were only allowed to ‘breathe’ gently next to each other. He didn’t have to fight for every inch of ground in the paint zone,” the former Orlando Magic player added. “The 90s were about muscles, sweat, blood, and tears. Jokić was just a ‘soft giant’ in that world.”

These shocking statements immediately created a storm on social media. Thousands of fans flocked to forums, fiercely debating whether a technically gifted superstar like Jokić could overcome the physical limitations of previous decades. Although Hardaway is no longer the center of attention in the NBA, his nostalgic and challenging perspective has successfully reignited the already tense discussion surrounding the GOAT title. Hardaway concluded: “Jokić is the king of the current era. But he is not the king of basketball. Not when facing the real giants.”