Report: Penny Hardaway May Replace Tubby Smith as Memphis Basketball Coach

If Memphis replaces Tubby Smith as its head men's basketball coach, the program may be dipping into its past.

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported Memphis is considering hiring Penny Hardaway to replace Smith, who has coached the program each of the last two seasons.

Hardaway, who played at Memphis from 1991 to 1993, has no college coaching experience. He currently coaches at Memphis East High School. The four-time NBA All-Star also runs the Team Penny Nike EYBL program, which features some of the top prospects in the nation.

James Wiseman, widely considered the top prospect in the 2019 class, plays under Hardaway at Memphis East.

Parrish's report also indicates Hardaway could target Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Brown to serve as an assistant under him at Memphis.

"Penny is one of my favorite guys of all time," Brown said on ESPN 92.9 FM (h/t Parrish). "He was all about winning and team. When I got into college coaching and started going around watching AAU and high schools, I'd see the effect he has on kids in such a positive way. Before Tubby got the job, he was the guy I was hoping would get the Memphis job. I just thought that he came back to his community, which a lot of guys don't always do. He grew up in Memphis. He's doing an amazing job in AAU and now in high school.

"There's gonna be a lot of college jobs open, unfortunately, and I can't think of many guys more qualified than Penny," Brown added. "At the end of the day, it's how you teach the game, how you care about the kids, how you make the kids accountable and grow up the right way. I think Penny Hardaway is as good a role model as you can possibly have."

Brown, 77, last coached at SMU from 2012-2016. He left the program amid NCAA rule violations.

Smith has coached Memphis to a 38-25 record over the last two seasons. The program missed the NCAA tournament last season and is widely expected to do so again. Memphis has not made the tournament since the 2013-14 season.