Jalen Brunson vs. Penny Hardaway Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Penny Hardaway and Jalen Brunson, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Jalen Brunson played 8 years in the NBA, 6 less than Penny Hardaway, who played 14. Jalen Brunson had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Penny Hardaway had his rookie season in 1993-94. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achievements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Jalen Brunson 8 5 2018-19 to 2025-26
Penny Hardaway 14 8 1993-94 to 2007-08

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2018-191993-94
Team Dallas MavericksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 73 21.8 9.3 0.3 2.0 2.3 3.2 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.7 3.6 7.7 .467 0.9 2.5 .348 1.2 1.6 .725
difference:+9+15.0+6.7+2.0+1.0+3.1+3.4+1.8+0.5-2.4-0.8+2.6+5.6+.001+0.3+0.2+.081+1.8+2.4+.017
Penny Hardaway 82 36.8 16.0 2.3 3.0 5.4 6.6 2.3 0.6 3.6 2.5 6.2 13.3 .466 0.6 2.3 .267 3.0 4.0 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson DNP------ --- ----------
Penny Hardaway 3 44.3 18.7 2.7 4.0 6.7 7.0 1.7 2.0 6.7 3.3 7.3 16.7 .440 1.7 3.7 .455 2.3 3.3 .700

Season 2

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2019-201994-95
Team Dallas MavericksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayMagic Lost NBA Finals
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 57 17.9 8.2 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.3 0.4 0.1 1.2 1.3 3.2 6.8 .466 0.8 2.1 .358 1.1 1.3 .813
difference:+20+19.8+12.7+1.4+0.6+2.0+3.9+1.3+0.2-2.2-0.8+4.4+8.0+.046+0.3+1.1+.009+3.5+4.7+.044
Penny Hardaway 77 37.7 20.9 1.8 2.6 4.4 7.2 1.7 0.3 3.4 2.1 7.6 14.8 .512 1.1 3.2 .349 4.6 6.0 .769
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson DNP------ --- ----------
Penny Hardaway 21 40.4 19.6 1.4 2.3 3.8 7.7 1.9 0.7 3.5 3.3 6.9 14.5 .472 1.9 4.7 .404 4.0 5.3 .757

Season 3

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2020-211995-96
Team Dallas MavericksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdMagic Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 25.0 12.6 0.4 3.0 3.4 3.5 0.5 0.0 1.2 1.6 4.8 9.2 .523 1.2 2.9 .405 1.8 2.2 .795
difference:+14+11.8+9.1+1.2+0.3+0.9+3.6+1.5+0.5-1.6-0.4+2.8+5.6+.010+0.1+0.6+.091+3.6+4.9+.028
Penny Hardaway 82 36.8 21.7 1.6 2.7 4.3 7.1 2.0 0.5 2.8 2.0 7.6 14.8 .513 1.1 3.5 .314 5.4 7.1 .767
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 7 16.3 8.0 0.9 1.7 2.6 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.9 2.9 6.3 .455 0.9 1.9 .462 1.4 1.9 .769
difference:+5+23.1+15.3+0.8+1.3+2.1+4.6+1.7+0.3-1.6-1.4+5.5+11.8+.010+0.8+2.7+.098+3.4+4.6+.025
Penny Hardaway 12 39.4 23.3 1.7 3.0 4.7 6.0 1.7 0.3 2.2 2.3 8.4 18.1 .465 1.7 4.6 .364 4.8 6.5 .744

Season 4

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2021-221996-97
Team Dallas MavericksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 79 31.9 16.3 0.5 3.4 3.9 4.8 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.9 6.4 12.8 .502 1.2 3.2 .373 2.3 2.7 .840
difference:+20+5.7+4.2+0.9+0.3+0.6+0.8+0.8+0.6-0.9-0.2+0.7+3.1+.055+0.2+1.3+.055+2.5+3.1+.020
Penny Hardaway 59 37.6 20.5 1.4 3.1 4.5 5.6 1.6 0.6 2.5 2.1 7.1 15.9 .447 1.4 4.5 .318 4.8 5.8 .820
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 34.9 21.6 0.8 3.8 4.6 3.7 0.8 0.1 1.1 2.1 8.1 17.3 .466 1.4 4.2 .347 4.0 5.0 .800
difference:+13+9.5+9.4+0.6+0.8+1.4+0.3+1.6+1.3-0.7-0.7+2.3+4.9+.002+0.8+1.8+.020+4.0+5.8+.059
Penny Hardaway 5 44.4 31.0 1.4 4.6 6.0 3.4 2.4 1.4 1.8 2.8 10.4 22.2 .468 2.2 6.0 .367 8.0 10.8 .741

Season 5

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2022-231997-98
Team New York KnicksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 35.0 24.0 0.6 3.0 3.5 6.2 0.9 0.2 2.1 2.2 8.6 17.6 .491 2.0 4.7 .416 4.8 5.8 .829
difference:+49+2.1+7.6+0.2+0.6+0.5+2.6+0.6+0.6-0.3-0.2+3.2+3.2+.114+1.2+2.1+.116+0.1+0.4+.066
Penny Hardaway 19 32.9 16.4 0.4 3.6 4.0 3.6 1.5 0.8 2.4 2.4 5.4 14.4 .377 0.8 2.6 .300 4.7 6.2 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 11 40.3 27.8 0.8 4.1 4.9 5.6 1.5 0.1 2.1 2.4 9.9 20.9 .474 2.4 7.3 .325 5.6 6.2 .912
Penny Hardaway DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2023-241998-99
Team New York KnicksOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 77 35.4 28.7 0.6 3.1 3.6 6.7 0.9 0.2 2.4 1.9 10.3 21.4 .479 2.7 6.8 .401 5.5 6.5 .847
difference:+27+3.5+12.9+0.9+1.1+2.1+1.4+1.3+0.3-0.6-0.3+4.3+7.1+.059+1.9+4.0+.115+2.5+2.3+.141
Penny Hardaway 50 38.9 15.8 1.5 4.2 5.7 5.3 2.2 0.5 3.0 2.2 6.0 14.3 .420 0.8 2.8 .286 3.0 4.2 .706
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 13 39.8 32.4 0.6 2.7 3.3 7.5 0.8 0.2 2.7 2.0 11.6 26.2 .444 2.0 6.5 .310 7.2 9.2 .775
difference:+9+2.0+13.4+1.7+0.1+1.7+2.0+1.5+0.1-0.3-1.3+6.6+11.9+.093+0.5+3.2+.152+0.3+0.6+.006
Penny Hardaway 4 41.8 19.0 2.3 2.8 5.0 5.5 2.3 0.3 3.0 3.3 5.0 14.3 .351 1.5 3.3 .462 7.5 9.8 .769

Season 7

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2024-251999-00
Team New York KnicksPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsSuns Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 65 35.4 26.0 0.4 2.5 2.9 7.3 0.9 0.1 2.5 2.1 9.0 18.5 .488 2.3 6.1 .383 5.7 6.9 .821
difference:+5+2.2+9.1+1.1+1.8+2.9+2.0+0.7+0.5-0.1-0.6+2.7+5.2+.014+1.7+4.4+.059+1.9+2.1+.031
Penny Hardaway 60 37.6 16.9 1.5 4.3 5.8 5.3 1.6 0.6 2.6 2.7 6.3 13.3 .474 0.6 1.7 .324 3.8 4.8 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 37.8 29.4 0.7 2.8 3.4 7.0 0.4 0.3 3.1 3.3 10.1 21.8 .461 2.7 7.4 .358 6.7 7.8 .851
difference:+9+5.0+9.1+0.9+0.5+1.5+1.3+1.2+0.7-0.3-0.1+2.7+5.7+.001+2.1+5.3+.095+1.8+0.9+.141
Penny Hardaway 9 42.8 20.3 1.6 3.3 4.9 5.7 1.6 1.0 2.8 3.2 7.4 16.1 .462 0.6 2.1 .263 4.9 6.9 .710

Season 8

Jalen Brunson Penny Hardaway
Season 2025-262000-01
Team New York KnicksPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 5 34.8 31.2 0.6 3.0 3.6 5.4 1.0 0.0 2.0 2.8 11.0 22.8 .482 2.6 8.0 .325 6.6 8.0 .825
difference:+1+6.8+21.4+0.7+0.3+0.9+1.6+0.5+0.3-1.2-1.3+7.2+13.8+.065+2.1+6.0+.075+4.8+5.2+.189
Penny Hardaway 4 28.0 9.8 1.3 3.3 4.5 3.8 1.5 0.3 0.8 1.5 3.8 9.0 .417 0.5 2.0 .250 1.8 2.8 .636
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Penny Hardaway played in the postseason in their season 8

Additional Years

* Penny Hardaway played 6 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 14, from 2002 to 2008—Penny Hardaway played in two Playoffs.