Hardaway planning to keep things as is
Memphis coach does not expect any changes to his staff
Penny Hardaway expects his coaching staff to remain intact this offseason.
The Memphis men’s basketball coach answered a number of select questions submitted by local media in a video recorded Tuesday. Among them was whether Hardaway anticipated having to fill any assistant coach vacancies. In February, Yahoo’s Pete Thamel reported Tigers assistant Mike Miller was “lobbying hard for head coaching jobs behind the scenes.”
“I expect everybody to be back on the staff,” Hardaway said.
Tony Madlock and Cody Toppert are Hardaway’s other assistant coaches.
Hardaway also maintained a similar outlook for his roster. The NCAA transfer portal has more than 550 players, but The Commercial Appeal confirmed Tuesday the only Tiger’s name appearing there is Ryan Boyce, who left the team in December. Boyce has since signed with Georgia State.
“As of right now, I’m expecting to keep (the roster) intact,” Hardaway said. “But you never know, as it moves forward, what (could happen). But right now, for sure, I’m looking forward to keeping it intact.”
Memphis was the least experienced team in Division I, according to Kenpom.
Freshman forward Precious Achiuwa is a projected first-round NBA Draft pick, while the team will also lose senior post player Isaiah Maurice. The Tigers are expected to welcome 6foot-8 forward Isaiah Stokes, who sat out the 2019-20 season after transferring from Florida.
Hardaway said Tuesday all remains quiet on the Achiuwa front.
“He hasn’t told me anything (about his plans for the future),” Hardaway said. “I think the obvious thing from understanding what he did this season (is) that he’s going to leave. But he hasn’t mentioned it. He hasn’t filled any paperwork out. He hasn’t declared (for the NBA Draft). So, just waiting on him.”
Memphis, which finished 21-10 in Hardaway’s second season, was without freshman forward D.J. Jeffries for the final 11 games of the season after the former Olive Branch star suffered a partially torn PCL.
“He’s doing pretty well. Feeling pretty good,” Hardaway said. “Rehabbing still. Getting better every day.”
The Tigers’ season ended March 12, when the onset of the coronavirus pandemic prompted the cancellation of the AAC Tournament. Subsequently, the rest of college basketball halted play, and the NCAA Tournament also was canceled.
Since then, many – including Hardaway, who said he does not know anyone personally who has contracted coronavirus – around the United States have taken to sheltering in place in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“I’ve actually worked out every single day. Keeping my workouts going,” he said. “And I’m on Netflix all day. I watch a variety of different things all day. I’m in the house all day, so I’m into Netflix. This is all seeming like a movie. Like we’re not really living through this. It’s a daily routine of ‘Groundhog Day.’ It’s ‘Ned? Is that you?’”
“As of right now, I’m expecting to keep (the roster) intact. But you never know, as it moves forward, what (could happen). But right now, for sure, I’m looking forward to keeping it intact.”
Penny Hardaway Tigers basketball coach