"I feel like, if I leave, it's going to go down hard": Penny Hardaway drops honest thoughts on obligation towards Memphis program

Memphis Tigers head coach and NBA legend Penny Hardaway recently made his thoughts on the program`s future known, reflecting on how his presence could be the only thing keeping it afloat. He also addressed how he feels like an easy target for haters, specifically pointing out critics from the media.

The four-time NBA All-Star appeared on TaylorMade Sports and made his thoughts known (via Commercial Appeal). Hardaway mentioned how he received his share of criticism after the Tigers missed out on this year`s NCAA Tournament despite starting the season at 15-2.

"It's not even about reporting about what we do and how we do it. It's more personal," he said. "I can read through it. I see everything. I keep all receipts. I just laugh, because every single thing this year from the smallest thing has been reported or an article written on it.

And there's been a lot more negative and personal things toward me this year out of all years, because to me it was a layup."

Hardaway continues about what he feels is the level of importance of him staying and working to get Memphis men's hoops back to prominence:

"(Because) I feel like, if I leave, it's going to go down hard. So I gotta take the bumps and the hits. I'm fighting in the ring and in the corner right now. I'm fighting both."

Either way, there's anticipation that Memphis will be at a crossroads next season. For one, former Tigers guard Joe Cooper will not return to the team in 2025, stating his time there was the "worst experience" of his career.

"Joe Cooper made it clear to me that it wasn't his goal to 'put nobody on the spot or on blast'iwith his comments. He simply wanted to set the record straight about his departure from Memphis. 'I just want people to know why (I'm leaving). I'm not turning my back on the city,' Upadhyaya writes.

What`s next for Memphis in 2024-2025?

While things might have not been easy for the Tigers, there's still hope for them heading into the 2025 season. Specifically, 6-foot-5 senior guard Caleb Mills is likely to return, and the team also signed sharpshooter Colby Rogers, formerly of Wichita State.

Mills played in 14 games for Hardaway last season and averaged modest numbers of 7.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He had to sit out the rest of the year after tearing his patella tendon back in early January. Before the injury, he was an excellent sixth man for the Tigers.

As for Rogers, he comes into Memphis as Wichita State's all-time leader in single-season three-pointers made with 99 (17th in DI). He also averaged an elite 40.9-percent clip from rainbow country, taking 7.1 attempts per game. He is expected to be a massive boost to the Tigers' offense, specifically in their long-range shooting which ranked fifth in the American conference.