Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway almost lost his basketball career before it began. A thief's bullet lodged in his right foot threatened to keep him grounded in a game played much of the time in the air. Hardaway was luckier than many people and the injury was not serious. But then he has always led a charmed life, one that has led Hardaway from the tough streets of Memphis to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hardaway has been called the "next Michael Jordan," but has struggled with injuries and the loss of teammate Shaquille O'Neal in his effort to win an NBA championship.

Growing up

"Penny"

Anfernee Deon Hardaway was born July 18, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee. His father, Eddie Gordon, never took care of the family. His mother, Fae, traveled to California to pursue a singing career. His grandmother, Louise Hardaway, who was a school cafeteria cook, raised Hardaway. She nicknamed...