Penny Hardaway Was An NBA Megastar, But You Won't Believe What He's Doing Now

 

I really encourage you to watch the video in this link.

 

:lol2: :lol2:

I'm lazy. What is he doing?

 

:lol2: :lol2:

 

I miss those commercials.

I'm lazy. What is he doing?

 

He's coaching middle school basketball as a result of a promise he made to lifelong friend, Desmond Merriweather, who died of colon cancer this past February. Desmond and Penny grew up together, playing on childhood teams together. They went to opposing high schools, and both played in college (Merriweather in a D2 school). Merriweather had returned to their Memphis hometown to coach high school ball, and was diagnosed with cancer in '09.

And they won back to back state championships at the middle school level in Tenn.

Doesn't he also coach an AAU team?

Doesn't he also coach an AAU team?

 

If he does, I don't believe that they mentioned it in the video.

Doesn't he also coach an AAU team?

 

I believe so. Maybe an EYBL team. Seems like I have seen him coaching a team in a nationally televised tournament.

Penny is near and dear to my heart. Here was another guy that had a tough upbringing, essentially his grandmother stepped in and saved him. It took him two years to become eligible at Memphis...being shot in the foot didn't help. Physically and skill wise (they say 6'6" in the article, he was at least 6'7") he was a next Michael Jordan. He had as much or more skill. Only thing is that he did not have the confidence and cockiness that you need to be THE man. He had a good NBA career, was paid well, unfortunately had a career-ending knee injury, but took that misfortune, and finished his degree and is helping kids. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

We lived in Massachusetts in the 90's when Penny played at Memphis then in the NBA. My oldest son had every Penny Hardaway t-shirt imaginable when he was 12-14 years old. We were visiting family in Memphis, and all of his Penny shirts were dirty so he had to wear one that wasn't a Penny shirt. We go to Perkins to eat breakfast, and the waitress seats us next to a couple of men chatting. I notice the guy right behind me is Penny Hardaway. I leaned over and got my son's attention. He looked at Penny and said no...then his eyes got really big, but then he looked at his shirt and was crestfallen. It was hilarious. We didn't bother Penny, but he did say hi to us when he left.

His interview on Simmons' podcast from All-Star weekend was great stuff. Especially when they discuss Derrick Rose.

I have had at least two predictions in my time where I had to eat crow and was completely wrong. The first was when Penny was coming out of college and I said he would be a bust in the pros. I would watch him at Memphis and he would be 3 for 22 from the field with 10 foul shots and they called it a good game. I thought he was over hyped, lets just say I missed that one. I really enjoyed him in Orlando.

 

My other blunder was when Nazr Mohammed left early for the pros, I said he wasn't ready.

I have had at least two predictions in my time where I had to eat crow and was completely wrong. The first was when Penny was coming out of college and I said he would be a bust in the pros. I would watch him at Memphis and he would be 3 for 22 from the field with 10 foul shots and they called it a good game. I thought he was over hyped, lets just say I missed that one. I really enjoyed him in Orlando.

 

My other blunder was when Nazr Mohammed left early for the pros, I said he wasn't ready.

 

What is this, Mohammed's 28th year in the league now? I was as skeptical as you.

Nice story about him, but I HATE these headlines they use now to pull people in to read. So doing something like this is now so uncommon that a "You wouldn't believe what he is doing now?" headline is used?

What is this, Mohammed's 28th year in the league now? I was as skeptical as you.

 

If he gets in 3 more games, he will have played in 1,000. Has made $63.7 million in salary.