Penny Hardaway knows what it takes to be a successful player. For years, he was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the NBA. Now, he wants his players to develop winning habits.
That’s why he didn’t want things to snowball after the Memphis Tigers‘ shocking loss to Mississippi State. Instead of taking it easy on his players, he admittedly was a little too harsh.
Talking to Field of 68: After Dark, the legendary guard didn’t mince his words about his approach to make sure his team bounced back and proved what they were capable of.
Penny Hardaway was hard on his players
“Mississippi State is coming in, like, all right, they took us out of the Top 25 for you guys, and they were, like, way, way more energy,” Hardaway said. “So, in that game, it pissed me off because we just didn’t fight. Even though we were tired, we didn’t fight. So, all week long, I was an a**hole.”
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway encourages his team during the first half against Wichita State on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas
Clearly, it worked, as his team was back on its feet to get the best out of a ranked opponent like Ole Miss. They’ve already beaten UConn, Michigan State, Missouri, and Clemson as well.
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Now, coach Hardaway will need to make sure that his players don’t turn back to their bad habits again when they play 7-6 Florida Atlantic to begin 2025 on Thursday.
