"You can't be a black man in that position & lose your cool the way you did" – Stephen A. Smith on Penny Hardaway's reaction to media scrutiny
University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway finds himself in the national spotlight right now. Despite coming into the college basketball season with strong expectations, the Tigers have struggled greatly.
Memphis had one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country. Unfortunately for them, that haul hasn't resulted in wins, and the frustration has started to build.
After another disappointing loss Thursday night against SMU, Hardaway had harsh words for those questioning the direction of his team. Hardaway was blunt, stressing that the team is young and doesn't yet have its full roster.
The rant caught the attention of national media, including ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who spoke about Hardaway on Friday on ESPN's "First Take."
"You've been in the NBA for 15 years ... now, you're a leader of young men," Smith said. "Unfortunately, unfairly ... you cannot be a Black man in that position and lose your cool the way that you did."
A look into the struggles of Penny Hardaway and Memphis
Despite entering the season with a roster full of hyped prospects like high school phenoms Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, the Memphis Tigers (9-8) have buckled. The frustration seemed to have reached a crescendo Thursday night as coach Penny Hardaway voiced his displeasure with the media in his postgame news conference.
What makes Jalen Duren different than most run-and-jump bigs? His passing. Did a great job taking advantage of 4-on-3 situations w/ Alabama hard hedging all night. Comfortable in DHOs also. Important in addition to his finishing/rim protection. Non-passing bigs are a dying breed. https://t.co/JntvljKc3O
Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren both possess a serious amount of talent, but they have the disadvantage of being young, even in the era of one-and-dones.
Bates reclassified to join the Tigers early but has been forced into a role as the team's starting point guard. Duren, who is a potential top 10 selection in the 2022 NBA draft, is technically still supposed to be a senior in high school.
After having to deal with injuries to older players on the roster, the youth and inexperience of the Tigers is showing.
The recent comments from Hardaway will only draw more attention to Memphis, and it will be interesting to see if the team can regroup and start winning.
Hardaway was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1993 draft out of then-Memphis State. He formed one of the NBA's most exciting young duos with Shaquille O'Neal on the Orlando Magic. Hardaway was a four-time All-Star before injuries derailed his career.
Memphis retired his jersey, No. 25, in 1994, and in 2018 he returned to the school to coach his alma mater.