Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
Memphis

Report: Frank Haith joins Memphis, Penny Hardaway as assistant coach

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh06/13/22griffin_mcveigh
On3 image
FORT WORTH, TX - MARCH 11: Head coach Frank Haith of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane looks on as Tulsa plays the Southern Methodist Mustangs in the second half of the American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals at Dickies Arena on March 11, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. Southern Methodist defeated Tulsa 83-58. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

According to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Frank Haith will be joining Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers as an assistant coach for this upcoming 2021-2022 season. Most recently the head coach at Tulsa, Haith will be an assistant for the first time in nearly two decades.

Resigning from his post with the Golden Hurricane in March, Haith is remaining in the coaching world with Memphis. He is the latest name Hardaway has added to an impressive running list of assistants since taking over the program.

Haith got his first head coaching job with Miami in 2004, leading the Hurricanes to one NCAA Tournament and four NIT appearances.

Missouri was the next step for Haith, where he spent just one season in the Big 12 and won the conference tournament. He helped the program transition into the SEC, making another March Madness appearance in 2013. Then, off-the-court investigations derailed Haith’s time in Columbia before he left Missouri in favor of Tulsa.

Memphis, Louisville looking to renew rivalary

Kenny Payne is looking to bring Louisville back into the national spotlight, which could include the return of a historic rivalry which has spanned across multiple generations and multiple conferences throughout the years. With two former players now coaches at the schools, the history could meet the present and make for a special non-conference series.  

Payne confirmed to Brett Dawson of the Louisville Courier Journal that Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway has reached out about possibly scheduling a game. While he has not yet responded, he plans to get back with the old rival about his proposition.

Louisville leads the all-time series 53-36 over Memphis and won the most recent meeting in 2017. The rivalry series dates back to 1949 and has spanned across the Missouri Valley Conference, Metro Conference, Conference USA and American Athletic Conference before the Cardinals left for the ACC in 2014.

Kenny Payne is also trying to follow in Penny Hardaway’s footsteps over the next year, winning a recruiting battle against Kentucky’s John Calipari for the No. 1 player in the country after just one season on the job. Hardaway and Memphis secured James Wiseman in 2019 and 2023 top recruit DJ Wagner has a close connection has shown interest in Louisville.