Anfernee Hardaway grew up in the Binghampton neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee, raised by his grandmother Louise. From the moment he stepped on a court, it was clear something rare was happening.
He starred at Treadwell High School, averaging 36.6 points a game as a senior, then stayed home to play for Memphis State, now the University of Memphis. He was named Great Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993 and a consensus first-team All-American in 1993.
The Golden State Warriors took him third overall in the 1993 NBA Draft and traded his rights to the Orlando Magic for Chris Webber. His combination of size, vision, and skill made him one of the most unique players the game had seen. In Orlando he made the All-Rookie First Team in 1994, reached the 1995 NBA Finals, was named All-NBA First Team in 1995 and 1996, and was an All-Star four straight seasons from 1995 to 1998. He won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and later played for the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. His Nike Air Penny and Foamposite line became a cultural landmark of its own.
When the playing days were done, he came home. On March 19, 2018, Penny was named head coach of the Memphis Tigers, bringing the same belief back to the city that raised him. His teams have won the 2021 NIT, the American Athletic Conference tournament in 2023 and 2025, and the 2024-25 AAC regular season title, and he was named AAC Coach of the Year in 2025. Watch his story in the media section →