Memphis Basketball: 3 takeaways from Penny Hardaway contract extension

3) Penny Hardaway wants to be in Memphis

It isn’t unfair to question what Hardaway’s intentions were when he took the job with Memphis four seasons ago. It also isn’t unfair to question the motivations of a university that was trying to reignite a program that had lost all excitement. A commitment of this length communicates that Hardaway really means what he says when he calls this head coaching job a dream position.

Things could have gone much smoother for the Tigers in the last four seasons. If Hardaway had aspirations of other head coaching jobs in the NBA or was just coaching at Memphis as a stepping stone, then an extension like this wouldn’t make sense either.

And frankly, Penny Hardaway doesn’t need the money in a way few coaches don’t need the money. There are plenty of ways for him to be involved with the program that takes much less time and effort than being on the sidelines.

Will his desire to be in Memphis ultimately translate to elite winning? Possibly. The recruiting speaks for itself and that level of talent will always have a chance to be special. But one thing is for sure, the Penny Hardaway era in Memphis won’t be ending any time soon.