Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway has continued to add to his coaching staff by hiring former four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace as an assistant coach according to Shams Charania of the Athletic.
Rasheed Wallace has agreed to a deal to become a new assistant coach at the University of Memphis under Penny Hardaway, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/M9f76IEfJP
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) August 18, 2021
Before joining the Tigers staff, Wallace had worked at Charles E. Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina as their head coach in 2019-20. Then he was hired by N.C. Good Better Best Academy Eagles to coach the men’s basketball program in June. Rasheed’s hiring was celebrated by many including the Black Coaches Association.
Great move coach @Iam1Cent. Congrats to @Memphis_MBB new assistant coach, Rasheed Wallace. https://t.co/QIajUK4VTi
— Black Coaches Association (@BCAWORLDWIDE) August 18, 2021
When Wallace retired as a player after a 16-year career in the League, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons during the 2013-2014 season.
Hardaway is putting together a strong staff of familiar faces this offseason. Wallace will be reuniting with his NBA championship coach Larry Brown, who was also hired as an assistant by Hardaway this offseason. The additions of Wallace and Brown on the staff is in Hardaway’s plans for a needed breakthrough in his fourth season as the Tigers’ coach.
Memphis, who won the 2021 NIT Championship, currently has the nation’s No. 5-ranked recruiting class led by five-star center Jalen Duren. The program hasn’t had an NCAA tournament berth since 2014.
Hardaway is 63–32 in three seasons at Memphis.
