Report: Mike Miller Joining Penny Hardaway at Memphis; Larry Brown a Possibility

University of Memphis head basketball coach Penny Hardaway reportedly hired longtime NBA forward Mike Miller to join the Tigers' coaching staff.

On Thursday, Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported the sides finalized details Tuesday and an official announcement is expected soon. Parrish noted Hardaway also considered Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown as an assistant.

Miller, who played seven seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies across two stints in the city with the NBA franchise, told Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal on Monday there was an instant connection with the Tigers' new coach because "he understands, the same way I do, basketball doesn't need to be hard."

"It would be something that I'm very, very, very interested in, but it's got to work for him most importantly, and the university," he said about possibly joining the staff. "If it comes out that it does, then we'll see what happens. The one thing I respect about Penny is he's invested. He's competitive as I've never seen. I just think he's going to crush it."

Miller's resume as he prepares to take his first collegiate coaching role features two NBA championships, a Rookie of the Year Award and a Sixth Man of the Year Award.

As for Brown, Parrish reported Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen is "hesitant" to approve that potential addition after the longtime coach resigned from SMU in 2016.

The decision came after the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee upheld a ruling against the program that included a postseason ban, probation and a reduction in scholarships because of a "lack of coach control."

Brown posted a 262-100 record as a college head coach at UCLA, Kansas and SMU. He also served in the same role at the NBA level with nine different organizations.

He's the only coach to win both an NCAA title (Kansas in 1988) and an NBA championship (Detroit Pistons in 2004).