Memphis Keeps Basketball Coach Penny Hardaway Despite Losing Season

The University of Memphis will keep men's basketball coach Penny Hardaway for another season despite the team's first losing record in over two decades. The Tigers finished 13-19 this year, ending a seven-season streak of 20-win campaigns under the former NBA star.

The University of Memphis has decided to keep men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway on staff after the team posted its first losing record since the 1999-2000 season, according to an ESPN report released Monday.

The Tigers struggled down the stretch, dropping eight of their final nine contests to end with a 13-19 overall record and 8-10 mark in American Conference play. Their season came to an end with an 81-69 defeat against Tulane during the opening round of the conference tournament in Birmingham, Alabama last Wednesday.

The disappointing campaign broke Hardaway’s string of seven consecutive 20-win seasons at his former school. The 54-year-old coach has posted a 175-87 overall record since assuming control of the program in 2018-19, guiding the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament berths. Last season, he earned Coach of the Year honors in his conference and captured an NIT championship in 2021.

This year’s win total matched the program’s lowest since the 1998-99 season when Memphis went 13-15, while the 19 losses represented the most since the 1969-70 campaign’s 6-20 record, excluding any seasons affected by forfeited or vacated victories due to program violations.

Monday’s ESPN report indicated that Hardaway’s upcoming ninth season in 2026-27 will feature adjustments to his coaching staff along with the addition of a general manager position.

The coach’s current contract extends through April 2028 and would require a buyout of approximately $6 million if the university had chosen to dismiss him this year, according to the report.

Before his coaching career, Hardaway starred as an All-American point guard for Memphis and became the third overall selection in the 1993 NBA Draft. During his 14-year professional career spanning four franchises, he earned four All-Star selections with the Orlando Magic and averaged 15.2 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds across 704 games.