Penny Hardaway ‘tired of losing,’ but says Memphis basketball has ‘the right guy’

Memphis basketball’s problems this season are fueling Penny Hardaway’s fire.

The Tigers’ eighth-year coach imparted an impassioned message Feb. 23 during his weekly radio show, peeling the curtain back on his current state of mind as his team has lost four straight games and five of its past seven.

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“I’m just freakin’ tired of losing. We’re never going to get used to losing around here,” Hardaway said. “That’s just not who we are. And it pisses me off going into every game. You have to have that anger going into the game.

“There are a lot of people that live and die with Tiger basketball. And you’ve got to bring that energy the same. So, I’m going to go into every game understanding that I’m pissed off, because we’re not being dominant in a conference we’re supposed to be dominant in.”

Rampant speculation on Hardaway’s future as Memphis coach only intensifies as the team’s spiral worsens. The Tigers (12-15, 7-7 American Conference) scuffled through nonconference play, finishing 5-7. They steadied themselves briefly, getting off to a 4-1 start in the conference. But they since have lost seven of 10 games (including a nonconference loss at Utah State), and many of the setbacks have been especially ugly. Five of their past seven losses have come by double digits.

Following the Tigers’ 78-67 home loss to UAB on Feb. 22, Hardaway made clear he had not given any thought to anything beyond his team’s next game — a home date with Wichita State on Feb. 26 (8 p.m. CT, ESPN2) — including whether he will be back for a ninth season as the coach of his alma mater.

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During his radio show, Hardaway hit those same notes, while also potentially hinting at his headspace with regard to his future at Memphis.

“I’m not thinking about next season. I’m not thinking about what if. Again, I’m fully vested in this thing. That’s why I’m here,” he said. “I’m a retired basketball player that’s helping coach my alma mater. Think about it. Come on, I…

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Publish date : 2026-02-24 02:31:00

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