In NCAA DI men's collegiate basketball, the University of Memphis is represented by theMemphis Tigers men's basketball team. Since 2013, the Tigers have participated in the American Athletic Conference. Memphis advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament in three years: 1973, 1985, and 2008, and were runner-ups in the 1973 and 2008 NCAA tournaments. Since the mid-1960s, the Tigers have played their home games off campus, even though Elma Roane Fieldhouse, their on-campus arena, serves as the team's principal home for women's basketball.
In 1966, the Tigers relocated to the Mid-South Coliseum at the Memphis Fairgrounds. Later, in 1991, the team built The Pyramid in downtown Memphis, which is now home to the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. Both teams relocated to FedExForum, a brand-new downtown location, in 2004. Memphis' basketball program was the 19th most successful from 1962 to 2012, according to the ESPN Stats & Information Department.
Memphis men’s Basketball Head Coach 2024-2025
Former professional player Penny Hardaway is the head coach of the Memphis Tigers men's team in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). He played in the NBA for 14 seasons after graduating from Memphis. He was a four-time NBA All-Star and twice chosen for the All-NBA First Team.
Hardaway was appointed head coach of the Memphis Tigers in March 2018 to replace Tubby Smith. In his first season as head coach, he led the Tigers to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Before FAU caused Memphis' elimination from the tournament in 2023, Hardaway led Memphis to an AAC championship and an NCAA Tournament spot.
Penny Hardaway’s physical attributes
| Age | 53 years old (January 2025) |
| Height | 6 feet 7 inches (201 cm) |
| Weight | 98 kg. (215 lbs.) |
Penny Hardaway’s age
As of January 2025, Penny Hardaway is 53 years old. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 18, 1971. He played collegiate basketball for the Memphis State Tigers men's basketball team from 1991 to 1993.
Penny Hardaway’s height
Penny Hardaway stands 6 feet 7 inches, or 201 cm, tall.
Penny Hardaway’s weight
Penny Hardaway weighs 98 kg, or 215 lbs.
Memphis Basketball Head Coach, year-by-year
The head coaches of Memphis basketball are as follows, year by year:
| No. | Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
| 1 | 1920–1921 | H. Kirk Grantham | 1 | 22–7–1 | .750 |
| 2 | 1921–1922 | W. H. DePriest | 1 | 1–7 | .125 |
| 3 | 1922–1924 | Lester Barnard | 2 | 10–13 | .435 |
| 4 | 1924–1948 | Zach Curlin | 23 | 173–184 | .485 |
| 5 | 1948–1951 | McCoy Tarry | 3 | 40–27 | .597 |
| 6 | 1951–1956 | Eugene Lambert | 5 | 87–45 | .659 |
| 7 | 1956–1962 | Bob Vanatta | 6 | 109–34 | .762 |
| 8 | 1962–1966 | Dean Ehlers | 4 | 53–47 | .530 |
| 9 | 1966–1970 | Moe Iba | 4 | 37–65 | .363 |
| 10 | 1970–1974 | Gene Bartow | 4 | 83–32 | .722 |
| 11 | 1974–1979 | Wayne Yates | 5 | 93–49 | .655 |
| 12 | 1979–1986 | Dana Kirk | 7 | 158–58 | .731 |
| 13 | 1986–1997 | Larry Finch | 11 | 220–130 | .629 |
| 14 | 1997–1999 | Tic Price | 2 | 30–27 | .526 |
| 15 | 1999–2000 | Johnny Jones | 1 | 15–16 | .484 |
| 16 | 2000–2009 | John Calipari | 9 | 214–67 | .762 |
| 17 | 2009–2016 | Josh Pastner | 7 | 167–73 | .696 |
| 18 | 2016–2018 | Tubby Smith | 2 | 40–26 | .606 |
| 19 | 2018–present | Penny Hardaway | 6 | 133–62 | .682 |
Memphis men’s Basketball coaching staff 2024-2025
The Memphis Tigers basketball team's coaching staff as of 2024 is listed below:
| Name | Title |
| Penny Hardaway | Head Coach |
| Mike Davis | Assistant Coach |
| Nolan Smith | Assistant Coach |
| Andre Turner | Director of Player Development |
Assistant Coaches
In the summer of 2024, Mike Davis joined the Memphis Tigers as an assistant coach. He has 35 years of experience on the touchline and spent the last six seasons as a head coach at Detroit Mercy (2018-24). He has compiled a 412-360 overall record with nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 24 seasons.
Nolan Smith was named the assistant coach for Memphis in September. A former NBA champion, Smith spent the last two years with Louisville Cardinals and with his alma mater Duke for the previous six seasons.
Memphis men's Basketball support staff 2024-2025
The Memphis Tigers basketball team's support staff is listed below as of January 2025:
| Name | Title |
| Dwight Boyd | Chief of Staff |
| Jordan Verhulst | Director of Basketball Operations |
| Jermaine Johnson | Director of Coach Analytics |
| Marcus Nunnally | Director of Scouting |
| Darrell Turner | Senior Associate Athletic Director, Sports Medicine / Head Men's Basketball and Men's Golf Athletic Trainer |
| Todd Forcier | Strength & Conditioning Coach |
| Cedric Prowell | Equipment Manager |
| Zach Wall | Creative & Recruiting Manager |
| Monte Campbell | Men's Basketball Logistics |
| Kevin Olds | Physical Therapist |
FAQs on Memphis basketball coach
A. Penny Hardaway is the head coach of the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team.
A. Penny Hardaway was appointed as the head coach in March 2018, succeeding Tubby Smith.
A. Memphis Tigers basketball teams relocated to FedExForum, a downtown location, in 2004.
A. There are two assistant coaches on the Memphis Tigers basketball staff in 2024-2025 season, Mike Davis and Nolan Smith.
