4x NBA All-Star slots himself over Steph Curry at point guard position in his all-time lineup

Former NBA star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway recently named his all-time starting lineup. Hardaway boldly omitted Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry and several other legendary point guards in favor of himself.

During the NBA offseason's dog days, players often make headlines by discussing their historic rankings of teams and players, kickstarting lively debates. Last week, GQ Sports posted a clip of Hardaway doing so by picking his all-time starting five.

The former Orlando Magic star hesitated before naming himself and NBA greats Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

"My all-time starting five? Oh, wow. Can I put myself in there? I'd say myself, Shaq, MJ, Bron and Kobe," Hardaway said.

Jordan, James, Bryant and O'Neal are typically featured in all-time lineups. Jordan and Bryant are considered two of the most lethal wing scorers ever. Meanwhile, James is lauded for his two-way wing versatility and O'Neal is regarded as an all-time dominant inside presence.

However, Hardaway, who played alongside O'Neal on Orlando in the mid-1990s, typically isn't mentioned in such discussions.

O'Neal and Hardaway formed a deadly inside-out duo, leading the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals. Hardaway also made four consecutive All-Star appearances from 1995 to 1998, garnering All-NBA selections from 1995 to 1997. During that span, he established himself as one of the league's most dynamic up-and-coming offensive stars.

Unfortunately for Hardaway, he never got over the hump to win a title, with his prime getting cut short by a series of knee injuries. Thus, his career became somewhat of a what-if scenario, with his accolades paling in comparison to all-time great point guards.

For example, Curry and LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson boast a combined nine championships and five MVPs. So, most would probably give a point guard of their caliber the edge over Hardaway.

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NBA fans roast Penny Hardaway for ranking himself over Steph Curry and other great point guards

Nearly a week after Penny Hardaway shared his all-time starting five, it gained additional traction on social media. @LegionHoops shared Hardaway's picks on X/Twitter on Monday, sparking fan mockery.

Many quipped about former players' tendency to include themselves in all-time rankings.

"Bro snuck himself in," @spomuse said.

"They're all sneaking themselves on these lists, LOL," @feelinfroggy181 wrote.

"[He] tried to put himself with the greats," @DuffyBag5 said.

However, some gave Hardaway credit for his career accomplishments despite acknowledging that he doesn't stack up against the NBA's greatest point guards ever.

"Penny was very good but [the] best PG ever? Not even remotely close," @19_loading wrote.

"People forget how cold Penny really is, but this ain’t it, LOL," @SonicsMuse said.

Nevertheless, the fan backlash appears unlikely to bother Hardaway, given he was confident enough to place himself among the league's greatest players in the first place.

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