Team Penny, the Memphis-based grassroots basketball program started by former NBA All-Star and Memphis basketball legend Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway in 2012, has become a national juggernaut. Ayrika Whitney/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
August 30, 2011 - Penny Hardaway looks over some Tiger memorabilia during the grand opening of the Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway University of Memphis Athletic Hall of Fame Tuesday. (Photo by Nikki Boertman / The Commercial Appeal)(Photo: Nikki Boertman, The Commercial Appeal)
Will former Memphis Tigers star Penny Hardaway be the next men's basketball coach at the University of Memphis?
What was once just a rumor and wishful thinking among fans now appears to be gaining steam after a report from CBS Sports on Tuesday night that stated Hardaway is already assembling a staff and could replace current Tigers coach Tubby Smith.
When asked Tuesday about Smith's status, university president M. David Rudd told The Commercial Appeal that the school would "evaluate the program at the end of the year."
More: Penny Hardaway is on his way? This could be an awkward ending for Tubby Smith.
Memphis finished the regular season with a 19-12 record during Smith's second year on the job and faces South Florida Thursday in the first round of the American Athletic Conference.
But with attention now affixed on Hardaway, here are five things to know about his potential candidacy with the Tigers
1) Hardaway is a Memphis basketball legend
Penny Hardaway grew up in the Binghampton neighborhood of Memphis and became the Parade national high school player of the year when he averaged almost 37 points per game as a senior at Treadwell High School.
Buy Photo Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway, of Treadwell High School, leads the unbeaten team to an 89-64 win over Mitchell High School, December 16, 1988. Hardaway scored 40 points in the game, including eight three-pointers. Teammate Michael Pierce added 20 more. (Photo: Thomas Busler, The Commercial Appeal)
He then added to this folklore by electing to stay home and play his college basketball at Memphis State (1991-93). He led the Tigers to the Elite Eight in 1992 and earned all-America honors in 1993. After finishing his NBA career, Hardaway returned to Memphis and began donating his time and money back into the community.
2) Hardaway could provide an immediate recruiting jolt
Although Hardaway doesn't have any college coaching experience, he serves as the head coach at Memphis East High School and founded the top Memphis-based AAU program, Team Penny. That gives him ties to some of the top basketball recruits in the country.
More: What to know about our 'Inside Team Penny' series
His entire starting lineup at East will play Division-I basketball. Through Team Penny, which plays on Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League each offseason, he is aligned with four of the top 100 2019 recruits in the nation.
More: Team Penny 2017 Nike Peach Jam
3) Hardaway wouldn't be the first former player to coach at his alma mater
There are examples of success and failure when schools hire an all-time great player to serve as head coach.
Clyde Drexler served as the head coach at Houston for two years and compiled a 19-39 record. Fred Hoiberg came back to Iowa State and went to the NCAA tournament four years in a row.
Currently, Patrick Ewing is completing his first year at Georgetown and enters the postseason with a 15-14 record. Chris Mullin is finishing his third season as the head coach at St. John's, but has yet to compile an above .500 record.
Others serving at the schools they attended, include Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, Bob Huggins at West Virginia and Kevin Ollie at UConn, who won a national championship in 2014, but is under fire for his team going 14-17 in the regular season and 7-11 in the American Athletic Conferernce.
Buy Photo February 8, 1992 - Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway #25 is shown in a game against Arkansas. (Photo: Dave Darnell, The Commercial Appeal)
At Memphis, former Tigers great Larry Finch returned to serve as the school's head coach for 11 years (1986-97) and qualified for the NCAA tournament six times. He was also the coach that convinced Hardaway to stay at home and play for the Tigers out of high school.
4) Hardaway was a cultural icon in the NBA
Hardaway was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft and played 15 seasons in the league, including a memorable three-year-run teaming with Shaquille O'Neal on the Orlando Magic.
Along the way, Hardaway became a four-time NBA all-star and a marketing force thanks to a series of Nike commercials featuring Lil' Penny, an alter ego puppet voiced by Chris Rock. His Air Penny shoe line is still a top seller for Nike today.
Former Orlando Magic guard Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway slams the ball over the heads of several Phoenix Suns defenders in this, January 27, 1996 photo at the Orlando Arena. He is coaching Memphis East High in the 44th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic. (Photo: The News-Press file photo)
Hardaway also starred in the 1994 movie Blue Chips alongside O'Neal. He portrayed a top college basketball prospect who received impermissible benefits while being recruited.
5) Hardaway is in a legal battle with the TSSAA
Hardaway will attempt to win his third-straight TSSAA AAA state championship at East next week, but this season's run has not been without controversy.
The TSSAA initially ruled two of Hardaway's players ineligible after it determined the school violated the prior coaching link rule. James Wiseman, considered the No. 1 recruit in the 2019 class by multiple recruiting outlets, and Ryan Boyce each transferred to East this year after playing for Team Penny during the offseason.
After the initial decision, however, Shelby County Schools sued the TSSAA and a Shelby County chancellor granted a temporary restraining order that allowed Wiseman and Boyce to play this season. The case remains unresolved and could result in East being stripped of its wins this season if Wiseman and Boyce are ultimately ruled ineligible again.
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