Hendon Hooker models pickup basketball game after Penny Hardaway

Hendon Hooker is obviously a great football player. The super-senior Tennessee starting quarterback has the second best odds to win the Heisman trophy right now and is captaining one of the biggest surprise runs of the entire college football season with taking the Volunteers all the way to No. 3 in the country.

But Hooker is also quite a hooper. According to Hooker himself, he’s both the best athlete on the football field and on the basketball court.

At his press conference this week, Hooker was asked about the team’s new hobby of playing pickup hoops with each other (something the medical staff can’t be thrilled about). To which he answered that he enjoys playing ball with his teammates, but affirmed that he is still the best player in that setting as well.

“I never really thought about it like that until they kind of approached me with that idea. And bringing that attitude from the basketball court, you know, to the football field. And I am the best basketball player on the team.”

When later asked what basketball player he most emulates on the court, Hooker responded with the name of a local legend. “Penny Hardaway,” he responded, seeing himself as a sort of distributor and point guard in both football and basketball.

Hooker went on to explain how basketball is an outlet for him as far as sports. Since he takes football so seriously and has to in order to play like he has been and will need to continue to in order to achieve his professional dreams. But with basketball, he can play a game that’s competitive but not too serious.

“But yeah, it really just helped me find myself and be comfortable in my own skin, so to speak. And I didn’t have to be so uptight and demanding. And, you know, really just trying to be overly focused in in my career. If I could just go out there and have fun, enjoy what I’m doing.”

Great on the gridiron, just as good on the basketball court. Heck of an athlete, that Hendon Hooker guy.