It's all coming full circle for Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers.
As much as Elvis Presley and B.B. King are representatives of the Birthplace of Rock & Roll's rich musical legacy, Hardaway is an ambassador for its hoops history. It's been a month since he was hired to replace veteran Tubby Smith at Memphis, who lasted just two seasons, as his alma mater's head basketball coach. He's already made the Tigers one of the most interesting teams heading into the 2018-19 season, securing a rock solid coaching staff and locking down one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
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Let's take a look at some of the key moves the M-Town native and four-time NBA All-Star has made since taking over the reigns...
March 20
After days of rumors, it finally becomes official. Memphis announces Hardaway will be its next men's basketball coach.
Although the move came with all the pomp and circumstance one might expect when a once major college hoops program hands the keys to its most recognizable former player, the decision to partner with Hardaway was anything but ceremonious.
Despite being a first-time college coach, Hardaway developed Memphis' East High into a national power, winning three straight state championships and excelling as a middle school and summer travel coach for years prior. East High senior power forward James Wiseman is rated the No. 1 player in the Class of 2019 by ESPN, which speaks to Hardaway's ability to develop talent.
March 26
Hardaway makes former Memphis teammate Tony Madlock his first assistant. Madlock comes to the Tigers with more than 20 years of coaching knowledge to help buoy his counterpart's inexperience at the college level.
Madlock spent the last four seasons at Ole Miss and served as interim head coach this past season. The Memphis native also had stints at UTEP and Arkansas State.
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April 4
Hardaway takes care of home first, signing his son, Jayden. The 6-5 shooting guard spent last season at IMG Academy in Florida after an underwhelming summer playing for Team Penny, the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League outfit founded by his father last summer.
At nearly 200 pounds, Jayden possesses prototypical size. A solid shooter from the outside, he could develop into a 3-and-D wing under his old man's tutelage.
April 12
Former East High point guard Alex Lomax becomes the first of three top-150 players to sign with Memphis, rendering his John Hancock onto an offer from the Tigers five months after committing to Wichita State. The 5-11, 190-pound point guard is ranked No. 145 overall, according to 247 Sports, and the 28th-best player at his position.
Lomax's signing was a strong statement, proving that Hardaway is serious about putting a fence around talent-rich Memphis. Lomax, who's played under Hardaway since the fifth grade, was the first player from the city to sign with Memphis since 2015 — and Hardaway was just getting started.
April 13
A day after Lomax signs with the Tigers, Hardaway secures the services of his Memphis high school rival, Cordova High product Tyler Harris. The 5-9, 150-pound dynamo is rated 69th nationally, and the No. 16 point guard by Rivals.
The combination of Harris and Lomax could more than make up for the loss of former three-star prospect Jamal Johnson, who decided to transfer away from Memphis after finishing as the Tigers' second-leading 3-point shooter as a freshman in 2016-17.
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April 14
Hardaway adds former NBA standout Mike Miller to the Tigers' staff. Miller, who played seven seasons with the Grizzlies, knows the Memphis recruiting scene all too well, having guided the M33M grassroots hoops organization for more than a decade.
April 16
Hardaway lands his biggest score thus far on the recruiting trail, locking up four-star shooting guard Antwann Jones, who was granted a release from a National Letter of Intent with Texas A&M. Jones is a 2010 prospect who also held offers from Oklahoma State, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Wake Forest and South Carolina. Once the Aggies' top recruit, James is rated as the 92nd overall player and 18th-ranked shooting guard in his class, according to 247 Sports.
The athletic wing from Tampa, Fla., can create scoring opportunities off the dribble and is a solid, but not deadly, shooter from outside. Physically, he's capable of competing and possibly excelling at the next level out the gate.
On the same day Jones signed, so did Isaiah Maurice. His name might not ring a bell like those of Lomax, Harris and Jones, but he could be just as much an integral part of the Memphis rehab job, if not more so.
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The 6-10, 225-pounder originally signed with Kansas State in 2015 but was cut after a violation of team rules. He spent last season at South Plains College (Texas), where he averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game to help lead his team to a JUCO national championship.
Most importantly, his 62 percent shooting from the field, including 48 percent from 3-point range, makes him a highly-coveted stretch power forward that forces defenders to extend themselves out beyond the 3-point line, providing 1-on-1 opportunities for driving perimeter players.
Memphis' 2018 class is now ranked No. 31 in the country, ahead of 2018 NCAA Tournament teams such as Texas Tech, Creighton and TCU. Hardaway is already setting his aims even higher for the Class of 2019. Obviously, Wiseman will be his top priority, but he's set to meet Wednesday with 2019 prospects Matthew Hurt and Trendon Watford, both consensus top-10 players in their class.
In fewer than 30 days, Hardaway has reignited the excitement for a program that reached the Elite Eight in three of John Calipari's final four seasons, from 2005 to '09. The Tigers haven't qualified for the Big Dance in four years, but the hiring of Hardaway has greatly increased season-ticket sales, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The foundation has been laid. Now all Hardaway has to do is earn his first win.