It’s hard enough coaching a team chasing a title. It’s even harder when two of your players call you Dad. Penny Hardaway didn’t set out to be the face of a family dynasty at Memphis—but with Ashton returning to the roster and Jayden already in the books, his journey has turned personal. What happens when the pressure to win meets the weight of fatherhood?

In the latest episode of The Pivot Podcast, the Orlando Magic legend made an appearance. Ryan Clark asked the Memphis Tigers’ coach to open up about his sons and coaching them on his team and especially the 2018-2019 season. “I never thought that that could happen. I never thought I’d be a college coach. Both my sons will be good enough to be in college and playing for me. I wasn’t going to force them in anything when they were younger. It just happened so God blessed this situation right,” he said.

Hardaway began coaching his son Jayden when he was just 7 years old. In 2018, Jayden reunited with his father on the Memphis Tigers team, continuing their long-standing coach-player relationship. He also bonded more with his brother, Ashton during this time, who also played for their dad’s alma mater. Jayden’s mother is Nikki Ward, while Ashton is the son of Dionne Richardson. 

Recalling those days and the opportunity, Hardaway appreciated and expressed his gratitude. “To be coaching those guys, to be around them every day to be in practice to have to switch the hats from dad to coach, not show favoritism but to also push like hey I need you to do things differently and at the end of the day you’re still going to treat your sons harsher and harder than you’re going to do the rest of the group because they’re yours but the experience of that year was amazing,” he added. 

After his sophomore year, Ashton left St. Mary’s College. However, he is reportedly returning to the team. When Hardaway was asked if he was harder on his team, he said that he was harder on his eldest Jayden. For Ashton, he had to be a bit more of a supporter as he didn’t grow up under the same roof as Jayden.  

In his first season at Memphis, Ashton averaged 2.3 points per game. He is the third player to leave Tigers only to join them back. This must have certainly made the father of four happy. Apart from a stellar NBA career, the former Orlando Magic player also has a brilliant coaching journey. Recently, he was honored with a significant recognition.

Penny Hardaway was named as AAC Coach of the Year 

Hardaway’s kids are proud of him. “I’m able to obviously trust my dad. I know he cares for me. I know he’s going to push me to be my greatest. There just wasn’t a better situation for me than to go there,” Jayden told The Commercial Appeal.

Coaching at his alma mater, Penny Hardaway has long carried the weight of Memphis on his shoulders. In his seventh year at the helm, that commitment finally earned formal recognition. Hardaway led the 16th-ranked Tigers to a stellar 26–5 overall record and a dominant 16–2 mark in conference play, culminating in his selection as the AAC Coach of the Year—the program’s first since Josh Pastner in 2013

“Because I’m in my seventh year and I’ve seen (other coaches win it) for six years in a row…. If they gave it to someone else, it would be OK, because I’m a total team guy, bro. That’s what I’m all about. The success of this team and how happy the city is — my individual accolade wouldn’t mean anything to me. Because I want to do it for the city and for the school,” Hardaway said.

The retired NBA player has led the Memphis Tigers to a strong season, achieving his 150th career win and guiding the team to an 11-2 record against top opponents, along with 11 road victories, This is the second-most in school history and he aims to create more such historic records.

When Penny Hardaway first took the Memphis job, few imagined his sideline would someday hold his sons – not as guests, but as players molded in his image. Seven years, 150 wins, and one Coach of the Year award later, that vision is no longer a dream. Ashton’s return is a reminder that for Hardaway, every game is personal. And as the Tigers climb, so does the story of a father rewriting what legacy can look like—one season and one son at a time