AT A CROSSROADS
Is Hardaway’s Tigers team splintering before our eyes?
OXFORD, Miss. — Penny Hardaway is not yet at his wit’s end.
Even after Saturday’s 67-63 loss at Ole Miss, the Tigers’ third in a row, the fourth-year coach sounded hopeful and downright optimistic at times. More than that, though, he sounded like someone bound and determined to keep his own hype train from completely jumping the tracks at all cost.
“We’re gonna be OK, I promise you,” he said. “The season is a long way from being over.”
He’s right. Sure, his team is reeling. Rocked by back-to-back losses to teams predicted to be among the worst in the SEC (Georgia and Ole Miss), the No. 19 Tigers (5-3) are rolling toward potential disaster with games against Top 25 teams (Alabama and Tennessee) fast approaching.
But Hardaway knows he’s got bigger problems than anything the Crimson Tide or Volunteers could throw at them. According to Hardaway, there is a fast-growing divide in the Tigers’ locker room. On one side, you’ve got heralded freshmen like Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, who will almost certainly be in the NBA soon – whether Memphis wins or not. On the other, there’s a group of veterans (not including Alex Lomax, Tyler Harris or Jayden Hardaway, according to Hardaway) who don’t seem to be too keen on going out of their way to make life easier for the youngsters getting the lion’s share of the spotlight and scoring opportunities.
During his postgame interview with Dave Woloshin, the team’s radio play-by-play announcer, Hardaway offered an example of the kinds of fundamental issues facing his squad.
“I’m gonna play the guys that care way more. I don’t want anybody else asking me about anybody else on the team except for the people that I play. Because that’s the problem with this whole, entire team. They feel entitled to do (expletive) and I don’t like it at all. The city’s hurting, we’re hurting, but they’re not hurting after we lose and that’s the honest truth.”
Penny Hardaway Memphis coach
“We could be up two points and you’ll have three people on the sideline talking negative to teammates and quitting, because they haven’t touched the ball,” he said. “That’s every, single game we’ve had this year. It’s sad, it really is. When adversity hits ... it hasn’t been positive. From the chatter on the bench to what they say to teammates or anything like that.”
Hardaway, three days after blasting Memphis’ veteran players, described a scene inside the locker room that resembles that of a “tug-of-war” in an effort to declare once and for all who’s “the man.”
“The biggest problem we have at the University of Memphis right now is that our veterans aren’t willing to help the young guys. That’s not how it’s supposed to be,” Hardaway said. “You can’t have your own teammates being the opposition and then having to play against the next team.”
Freshman Josh Minott enjoyed what Hardaway labeled a “coming-out party” against Ole Miss, finishing with five points, five rebounds, one assist and zero turnovers in 17 minutes (one off a career-high). But his demeanor during the postgame news conference was far from chipper. When asked to survey the mood of the team, he declined before tacking on a pointed disclaimer.
“No one likes losing – that’s one thing we can all agree on,” he said.
One thing Hardaway is officially sold on is his approach to filling out a lineup card. No longer will he base his decisions on talent. That ship has sailed, he said. Instead, Hardaway plans to lean most heavily on those players committed to winning. He will concern himself less with the Tigers he believes are only concerned with how many minutes they play and how many touches they get.
“The biggest thing I have to do, I’ve been way too nice to guys that aren’t willing to buy in and I just have to do what I have to do,” Hardaway said. “If you just play the players that care, everything will turn around instantly. I truly believe that. It’s my time to activate and put us in the best mental state by playing the people who all want to be cohesive and be together on the court. I’m locked in and focused only on the guys that want to play for the city, that want to play for the school and that want to help each other get better and cheer for each other.
“I’m gonna play Jayden more, I’m gonna play Tyler more. I’m gonna play the guys that care way more. I don’t want anybody else asking me about anybody else on the team except for the people that I play. Because that’s the problem with this whole, entire team. They feel entitled to do (expletive) and I don’t like it at all. The city’s hurting, we’re hurting, but they’re not hurting after we lose and that’s the honest truth.”
When asked if he thinks he can get some of his players back, Hardaway said: “We haven’t been able to.”
When asked whether he thought some players might give up and opt out on the rest of the season, Hardaway said: “I’m not sure about that.”
The Tigers now find themselves at a critical crossroads. Despite the drama, though, Hardaway is putting on a brave face.
“We’re getting better. We’re headed in the right direction,” he said.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.