Former NBA star Penny Hardaway was a stud in college playing for Memphis before his pro career kicked off. Now he’s headed back to where it all started to coach the Memphis men’s basketball program, per Jeff Goodwin of ESPN.
Hardaway willl replace Tubby Smith, per the report, and a press conference is expected to announce the move on Tuesday.
Memphis’ basketball program needs a spark in the worst way, having missed out on the NCAA Tournament the past four years running. Under Smith, the Tigers went 40-26, but they didn’t make any postseason tournaments and attendance is down, per the report.
Hardaway has coaching experience, having coached AAU teams and Memphis East High School, where he won three state titles in a row. No doubt, he’ll have a positive impact on recruiting, and a lot will be expected of him to turn this program around.