Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Memphis fires Tubby Smith
After meeting with Memphis University officials Wednesday, men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith was fired after two seasons with the team.
“After considerable deliberations and in the best financial interest of the University of Memphis, an agreement of separation with head men’s basketball coach
Tubby Smith has been reached,” Memphis’ athletics department said in a statement. “Details are to be finalized, and no further comment will be offered.”
Smith, who coached Kentucky to its seventh national championship in 1998, had been head coach of the Tigers since 2016. His tenure with Memphis was hindered by high-profile transfers during the last offseason. Since leaving Kentucky in 2007, Smith has also coached at Minnesota and Texas Tech.
Smith was in the second year of a five-year, $15.45 million contract.
Speculation on Memphis’ next coach has centered around Penny Hardaway, a former Memphis player and NBA star who has recently made a name for himself coaching on the AAU circuit helping groom a number of top recruits.
After going 19-13 in his first year, six players, including his top three scorers, announced they would transfer. Dedric Lawson, K.J. Lawson and Markel Crawford left Memphis after averaging a combined 44.3 points and 22.4 rebounds for the Tigers. The Lawson brothers transferred to Kansas. The Lawsons’ father, Keelon Lawson, left Smith’s staff, as well. Crawford transferred to Mississippi.
This month, Smith ranted in a postgame news conference about transferring players when asked whether he thought all his players would be returning next season.
“We’re teaching them how to quit,” Smith said. “That’s what we’re doing. Things not going well, let’s quit.”
Smith’s critics immediately noted that Smith had left a number of jobs for better opportunities, including Tulsa, Georgia and Texas Tech.
This year, Memphis had a 2113 record, including going 10-8 in the American Athletic Conference, good for fifth place, but not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason for the second year in a row.