Memphis Head Coach Penny Hardaway Announces New Assistant Coaches

Former NBA player and current college basketball coach Penny Hardaway just announced that he has hired two assistant coaches, including a former HBCU head coach, to affix his staff on the University of Memphis.

School announced that Nolan Smith and former Detroit Mercy basketball coach Mike Davis shall be assistant coaches for the 2024-25 season.

“I am excited to have Coach Davis as part of our program,” Hardaway said in a written statement. “He is a seasoned coach who brings a winning mentality to the team and has a powerful resume to back it up, each on and off the court.

“Mike has won at the highest level, has achieved great success and is a proven leader of young men. He will serve our program in the front office, on campus and in the community. We are excited to have Mike and his family in Memphis.”

Davis spent the past six seasons as head coach at Detroit Mercy (2018-24), as he brings greater than 35 years of coaching experience to the sidelines. He has been a head coach for twenty-four years and has led his teams to the postseason in 14 of those years. He has a winning record in 15 of those 24 seasons, recording a minimum of 20 wins nine times.

Smith, meanwhile, most recently served as an assistant coach at Louisville for the past two years (2022-24). Prior to his time at Louisville, he spent six seasons working under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke (2016-22).

“Nolan is a guy with grit and grit, one of the brightest young coaches in college basketball,” Hardaway said. “He works hard and has an unmatched passion for the sport.

“He brings a championship mentality to our team, not only having won a national championship as a competitor, but also having learned from one of the all-time greats in Mike Krzyzewski. Our fighters will love being in the gym with Nolan, and we are excited to have him and his family as part of Tiger Nation.”

The Tigers will play their first exhibition game on October 15 within the Hoops for St. Jude® Tip Off Classic, where they may face North Carolina on the FedEx Forum in Memphis.