Penny Hardaway feeling the 'love' with new Memphis basketball roster

When Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway walks into the Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center these days, he likes what he sees.

When the new-look Tigers assemble on the court for a summer practice session – as they did July 23, the program allowing local media access to the final 30 minutes – Hardaway feels good.

Much better than he felt roughly four months ago. That’s all that separates Hardaway and the end of an ugly 13-19 season and the uncomfortable atmosphere it created. It was only in March when athletic director Ed Scott (with Hardaway seated beside him) sat down in front of reporters to explain why he was giving Hardaway a ninth season as the Tigers’ coach.

Which makes it all the more believable when Hardaway makes references to it, even while looking ahead to the future.

“I understand that I have work to do and (that) we have work to do – you know, coming off a really bad season and, really, just trying to correct that and trying to get a new team ready to go,” Hardaway said.

He and the Tigers have been putting in the work ever since. Hardaway, with his overhauled roster and coaching staff, convened and began summer workouts on June 2. Following a short break, the offseason training resumed July 6. Now, as the team prepares to transition out of summer and into fall camp, Hardaway has identified several signs of encouragement beyond the on-court progress.

“I’ve talked to this group the most out of every group I’ve ever recruited – especially the last four or five years, since the NIL and the portal era (began),” he said. “We communicate a lot. It’s been pretty cool to understand who they were, why we wanted them. Now that they’re here, understanding what we need them to do.

“We have a great group of guys willing to sacrifice to do something special.”

Hardaway identified point guards Jayden Reid and Josh Holloway, along with returning guard Julius Thedford, as players who have naturally gravitated toward leadership roles in the early stages of the offseason. But he said there’s been a heightened sense of unity that has already permeated throughout the roster.

“They’ve been intentional about being together and being close. They keep saying the same things about, ‘We don’t have a year to waste. We don’t need selfishness. We want to sacrifice. It’s no I, it’s we. It’s us. There’s no me.’

“I love that about them. They’re into each other a lot. They’re going out to eat (together). They’re going to sporting events (together). And I love that about them.”

Holloway confirmed Hardaway’s evaluation.

“We play together. We like each other,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing as a team that you’ve got to have if you want to win a championship. We’re going to play for each other. We’re going to fight for each other.”

As a Memphis native – one of five on the roster this season – Holloway added there is already a distinct vibe in place that matches the city’s.

“Even the out-of-town people are starting to catch on with the lingo. You’ve got a lot of Memphis spirit in here,” he said.

But, for Hardaway, perhaps the most encouraging sign so far has come from a place that was severely lacking in 2025-26.

“You need to get high character kids that have that toughness about them where you don’t have to worry about them when things get rough,” he said. “We didn’t handle adversity well as a staff and as a team last year. That was a part of recruiting the way we recruited this year to get these types of guys in here now.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Penny Hardaway feeling the 'love' with new Memphis basketball roster