Memphis Is Worth More Than A ‘Penny’
When will this whirlwind of drama surrounding the Memphis Basketball program stop?
This is a question some fans have asked while others turn a BLIND eye to these infractions under Tigers Head Coach Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway in replace of wins and flashy recruits. When Hardaway took the Memphis job, in 2018, the city of Memphis and its fans were elated. Now, six seasons later, these recruits and flash have caused drama that has followed Hardaway and his team seemingly yearly.
Is it time to ask the question “Is it worth the drama?”
With the late news, on Wednesday, of an anonymous letter alleging numerous potential NCAA violations the seat has to be hot by now. This, partnered with the dismissal of assistant coaches Rick Stansbury, Farigi Phillips, and Jamie Rosser per the statement from the University Wednesday morning has become a habitual issue of violations and extreme turnover with mediocre results.
The mentioned letter has been handed over to the NCAA per sources and the allegations are not minimal. In the letter, it claims Hardaway paid former Tiger, Deandre Williams, $30,000 to come to Memphis in the 2020 season. Moreover, the letter claims that Hardaway made a $60,000 payment along with arrangements for an apartment for Boise State transfer, Emmanuel Akot, for him to commit to Memphis in the 2022 season. Akot would sign a letter of intent with the Tigers yet not enroll and took his talents to Western Kentucky.
While we are not aware if the removal of the staff and the letter coincide in any way the writing is on the wall of a “house cleaning” to soften the blow from the NCAA. It is important to remember that the Tigers are already on a 4-year probation due to improper recruitment of James Wiseman, in 2019, and in 2022 when Hardaway and an assistant at the time illegally visited a recruit in Texas.
Let’s also not forget that the NCAA is currently investigating the University in the Malcolm Dandridge academic scandal. While Memphis was swift in dismissing athletic academic advisor, Leslie Brooks, the letter claims that Brooks, and her sister, were paid to complete work for Dandridge and three additional players on the roster. Even with Memphis self-reporting these incidents this doesn’t make them clear of all allegations.
These moves all come after Dr. Ed Scott was hired as Athletic Director. As we spoke about in our article on his hiring, Scott has a history of cleaning up programs with NCAA issues as he did while with Morgan State.
With now four issues with Hardaway in his short tenure is it time for a different direction? Or, will we continue a repetitive cycle of drama year after year with results that have gotten other coaches run out of town? Memphis Basketball is worth more than a pretty ‘Penny’ but does the golden child of Memphis Basketball understand this enough to make the right, and clean, move for the program?
The season is looming but the biggest threat isn’t anyone on the schedule it’s the blind love for a coach who has a reported and documented history of violations, drama, and mediocre results on the court.
