Steve Francis vs. Penny Hardaway Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Penny Hardaway and Steve Francis, 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 / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

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.

Steve Francis played 9 years in the NBA, 5 less than Penny Hardaway, who played 14. Steve Francis had the first of his seasons in 1999-00, 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
Steve Francis 9 1 1999-00 to 2007-08
Penny Hardaway 14 8 1993-94 to 2007-08

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 1999-001993-94
Team Houston RocketsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement 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%
Steve Francis 77 36.1 18.0 2.0 3.3 5.3 6.6 1.5 0.4 4.0 3.0 6.5 14.5 .445 1.4 4.0 .345 3.7 4.7 .786
difference:+5+0.7+2.0+0.3+0.3+0.1+0.8+0.2-0.4-0.5+0.3+1.2+.021+0.8+1.7+.078+0.7+0.7+.044
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%
Steve Francis 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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2000-011994-95
Team Houston RocketsOrlando 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%
Steve Francis 80 39.9 19.9 2.4 4.5 6.9 6.5 1.8 0.4 3.3 3.4 6.9 15.2 .451 1.7 4.2 .396 4.5 5.5 .817
difference:+3+2.2+1.0+0.6+1.9+2.5+0.7+0.1+0.1-0.1-1.3+0.7+0.4+.061+0.6+1.0+.047+0.1+0.5+.048
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%
Steve Francis 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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2001-021995-96
Team Houston RocketsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayMagic 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%
Steve Francis 57 41.1 21.6 1.8 5.2 7.0 6.4 1.2 0.4 3.9 3.0 7.4 17.7 .417 1.2 3.7 .324 5.7 7.4 .773
difference:+25+4.3+0.1+0.2+2.5+2.7+0.7+0.8+0.1-1.1-1.0+0.2+2.9+.096+0.1+0.2+.010+0.3+0.3+.006
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%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2002-031996-97
Team Houston RocketsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayMagic 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%
Steve Francis 81 41.0 21.0 2.0 4.2 6.2 6.2 1.7 0.5 3.7 3.1 7.0 16.2 .435 1.0 3.0 .354 5.9 7.3 .800
difference:+22+3.4+0.5+0.6+1.1+1.7+0.6+0.1+0.1-1.2-1.0+0.1+0.3+.012+0.4+1.5+.036+1.1+1.5+.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%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2003-041997-98
Team Houston RocketsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 79 40.4 16.6 1.5 4.0 5.5 6.2 1.8 0.4 3.7 3.3 5.7 14.1 .403 0.9 3.2 .292 4.3 5.5 .775
difference:+60+7.5+0.2+1.1+0.4+1.5+2.6+0.3+0.4-1.3-0.9+0.3+0.3+.026+0.1+0.6+.008+0.4+0.7+.012
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%
Steve Francis 5 44.6 19.2 1.2 7.2 8.4 7.6 1.4 0.2 4.2 3.6 6.0 14.0 .429 1.4 3.4 .412 5.8 8.0 .725
Penny Hardaway DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2004-051998-99
Team Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayMagic 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%
Steve Francis 78 38.2 21.3 1.6 4.2 5.8 7.0 1.4 0.4 4.1 3.5 7.2 17.1 .423 0.5 1.6 .299 6.4 7.8 .823
difference:+28+0.7+5.5+0.1+0.1+1.7+0.8+0.1-1.1-1.3+1.2+2.8+.003+0.3+1.2+.013+3.4+3.6+.117
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%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2005-061999-00
Team Orlando Magic, New York KnicksPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySuns 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%
Steve Francis 70 34.2 14.4 1.1 3.1 4.1 4.9 1.1 0.2 3.1 2.9 4.8 10.9 .435 0.4 1.2 .301 4.5 5.7 .787
difference:+10+3.4+2.5+0.4+1.2+1.7+0.4+0.5+0.4-0.5-0.2+1.5+2.4+.039+0.2+0.5+.023+0.7+0.9+.003
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%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
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

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2006-072000-01
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%
Steve Francis 44 28.1 11.3 0.8 2.8 3.6 3.9 0.9 0.3 2.3 2.9 3.2 7.8 .408 1.0 2.5 .378 4.0 4.8 .829
difference:+40+0.1+1.5+0.5+0.5+0.9+0.1+0.6-1.5-1.4+0.6+1.2+.009+0.5+0.5+.128+2.2+2.0+.193
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 Steve Francis nor Penny Hardaway played in the postseason in their season 8

Season 9

Steve Francis Penny Hardaway
Season 2007-082001-02
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 10 19.9 5.5 0.8 1.5 2.3 3.0 0.9 0.5 1.4 2.5 1.9 5.7 .333 0.4 1.7 .235 1.3 2.3 .565
difference:+70+10.9+6.5+0.4+1.7+2.1+1.1+0.6+0.1-1.0-0.2+3.0+5.9+.085+0.1+0.7+.042+0.7+0.1+.245
Penny Hardaway 80 30.8 12.0 1.2 3.2 4.4 4.1 1.5 0.4 2.4 2.3 4.9 11.6 .418 0.3 1.0 .277 2.0 2.4 .810
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Steve Francis nor Penny Hardaway played in the postseason in their season 9

Additional Years

* Penny Hardaway played 5 seasons more than Steve Francis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 14, from 2003 to 2008—Penny Hardaway played in two Playoffs.