Penny Hardaway, former NBA All-Star and Memphis Tigers basketball legend, is reportedly set to become the next head coach of his hometown alma mater. Memphis recently fired legendary coach Tubby Smith after only two underwhelming seasons with the team.
Hardaway was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and played for the Tigers from 1990 until he left for the NBA in 1993. After coaching on the AAU, middle school and high school ranks since 2011, Hardaway is ready to come back to the school he called home as a young man.
Jeff Goodman of ESPN reports the Tigers will hire Hardaway after rampant speculation over the past few weeks calling for Hardaway to replace Smith.
Former Memphis star Penny Hardaway has agreed to a deal to become the next Tigers men’s basketball coach, and a news conference is expected on Tuesday, sources told ESPN.
Hardaway is arguably the best player to ever come through the Memphis basketball ranks. Although his basketball career was almost shut down entirely in his freshman year at Memphis after he was robbed and a stray bullet hit his foot, Hardaway bounced back in a strong way. He posted per game averages 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks in his junior year while also recording two triple-doubles and earning All-American honors. He was also a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award in his last year at Memphis. His number 25 jersey is retired at the University of Memphis.
Hardaway went on to play 14 years in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. He was named an NBA All-Star four times, member of the All-NBA team three times and scored over 10,000 career points.
Penny Hardaway spent the past few years coaching AAU basketball in the summer and also won his third consecutive state title as the head coach of Memphis East High just this past weekend.
Memphis is looking to return to their brief run of glory they experienced from 2002 until 2014. Under head coaches John Calipari and Josh Pastner, Memphis went to the NCAA Tournament 10 times including four sweet 16 appearances and one appearance in the National Championship game in 2008. The 2008 season was vacated by the NCAA after an investigation found to Derrick Rose was not eligible. Memphis has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2014 and the program has also not started or finished a season ranked in the top 25.
