Penny Hardaway Agrees to Become Memphis HC After Tubby Smith's Firing

Former NBA star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway has reportedly agreed to become the next head coach of the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.

The move comes in the wake of the school firing Tubby Smith after just two seasons on the job.

A press conference to officially announce Hardaway as the next head coach is expected on Tuesday, per that report. 

As for Hardaway's potential staff, Dan Wolken of USA Today tweeted Sunday: "Sounds like things are pretty far along on staff. Two former Memphis/[John] Calipari assistants in Steve Roccaforte and Tony Barbee are staff candidates, per source."

And John Martin of 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis reported that Hardaway would meet with former NBA player Mike Miller this week about a potential role on the coaching staff. Miller spent six seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002 to 2008.

Hardaway, 46, played his college ball at Memphis before an NBA career that included stints with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. He was a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA first-team selection, all with the Magic. His pairing with Shaquille O'Neal early in his career represented one of the NBA's most dynamic young duos at the time.

Hardaway is no stranger to coaching either. Hardaway led Memphis' East High School to a Tennessee state championship this season, the third straight for the school. (Hardaway was technically an assistant coach on the previous two winners, though he did "the bulk of the in-game coaching" in those seasons, per John Varlas of the Commercial Appeal.)

He's also spent time as an AAU coach. 

For Memphis, Hardaway has the opportunity to re-energize a program that lost some of its luster and buzz during Smith's tenure.

"You need to get people coming back to the games," Hardaway said on Saturday after East's state championship when asked about the Tigers, per Geoff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal. "That's all I can say. I know they were coming when I was there."

When someone noted, "Maybe they'll come again," Hardaway offered a slight smile, per Calkins.

"Maybe they'll come again," he said.