Sources: Hardaway to be Memphis' new coach

Betallsports · Mar 19, 2018

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, who starred at the school in the early 1990s, will replace Tubby Smith, who was fired after just two seasons earlier this month.

Hardaway, 46, was drafted with the third overall pick in 1993 and played in the NBA from 1993 to 2008 -- with Orlando, Phoenix, New York and Miami. He was a four-time NBA All-Star.

Memphis' hire looks to add some life to a program that has struggled in the latter years of the Tubby Smith regime. Smith won 19 games his first year and 21 the second, but the Tigers didn't make any postseason tournaments, and attendance has been down.

Hardaway isn't your typical former NBA player, as he has coached AAU basketball in the summer and also won his third consecutive state title as the head coach of Memphis East High this past weekend.

Hardaway has ties to some of the top players in the area, including top-ranked junior James Wiseman.

packer2012 · Mar 19, 2018

OK.

Does that mean "Little Penny" will be an assistant?

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2018

packer2012 said:
OK.

Does that mean "Little Penny" will be an assistant?

A top 5-10 player before the injury.

Enfuego · Mar 19, 2018

What coaching qualifications does he have to get this job? Great player but coach?

Greenbacks · Mar 19, 2018

I like new blood instead of hiring the same ole retread coaches all the time.

Good luck to him.

pathologist · Mar 19, 2018

This has debacle all over it

Mr_Mark · Mar 19, 2018

Enfuego said:
What coaching qualifications does he have to get this job? Great player but coach?

Everyone's got to start somewhere. But having a former player that these current players looked up to might not be a bad idea.

RoofTop · Mar 19, 2018

I'm sure he's got a stable full he's bringing with him. Only reason for the hire.

MattyMatt · Mar 19, 2018

Enfuego said:
What coaching qualifications does he have to get this job? Great player but coach?

He’s won 3 state HS basketball titles in a row,and will be bringing the top junior player in the country with him after next year. That,and how these kids like him and look up to him,I’d say he may have something to build on. Only time will tell...Glad to see it...

MattyMatt · Mar 19, 2018

RoofTop said:
I'm sure he's got a stable full he's bringing with him. Only reason for the hire.

Word.

Enfuego · Mar 19, 2018

MattyMatt said:
He’s won 3 state HS basketball titles in a row,and will be bringing the top junior player in the country with him after next year. That,and how these kids like him and look up to him,I’d say he may have something to build on. Only time will tell...Glad to see it...

I hope he does well.

razorbackpicks · Mar 19, 2018

He knows how to recruit the way college basketball elites are doing. He’s entrenched in the AAu game which is just a dirty entity to exploit good players. He’s also been on the side of most likely taking Benefits to go to a certain school.

He probably will will do well at Memphis.

Greenbacks · Mar 19, 2018

He won his third straight state title over the weekend with Memphis East High. His squad’s top player, 6-foot-11 forward James Wiseman, is a coveted recruit ranked No. 1 overall by ESPN, which also has another of Hardaway’s players, 6-8 forward Chandler Lawson, ranked 26th.

slapshot · Mar 20, 2018

this will set Memphis back 7 years

HuskerFan1 · Mar 21, 2018

he is gonna have a loaded deck in a couple years

Five-star prospect Chandler Lawson[FONT=&quot] and [/FONT]James Wiseman[FONT=&quot], the No. 2 overall prospect in his class also played for Hardaway at East High while [/FONT]four-star prospect D.J. Jeffries[FONT=&quot]played for Hardaway’s youth league Team Penny. They’re all expected to join Hardaway in Memphis which would give him a formidable core of young talent in his second year on the job.[/FONT]

https://sports.yahoo.com/wichita-st-releases-4-star-recruit-play-hs-coach-penny-hardaway-memphis-032324084.html

HacheMan · Mar 21, 2018

Already knew he was a good guy but he was on Dan Patrick show today & confirmed he truly is.

Hope he has success.

Guy was amazing before that knee injury.

Enfuego · Apr 4, 2018

New Memphis Tigers men's basketball coach Penny Hardaway landed his first commitment on Tuesday night -- his son, Jayden.

Jayden Hardaway, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, spent this past season at IMG Academy (Florida) after playing for his father at Memphis East High School (Tennessee).

Hardaway also played for his father on the AAU circuit with Team Penny. He averaged 4.8 points and shot 35.1 percent from 3-point range in the Nike EYBL last spring and summer.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Hardaway will be on scholarship, not a walk-on.

"I wanted to announce it earlier because I had known I was going there for a couple weeks," Jayden Hardaway told the paper. "I was just waiting. I was waiting for my dad to get everything straightened out and he gave me permission to commit."

Memphis is expected to land its second commitment under Penny Hardaway on Wednesday morning, when former Wichita State signee Alex Lomax announces his decision.

Lomax has played for Hardaway since the fifth grade.

Sources: Hardaway to be Memphis' new coach

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