When did you realize that you wanted to become a coach and what was it like making that transition? Penny Hardaway: I think it hit me maybe three or four years ago. I realized that it could be a possibility that I’d want to coach if the Memphis Tigers’ job became available. I knew that Coach Tubby Smith had a five-year deal, so I was thinking that it was going to be five years away. Obviously, that didn’t happen for him but for a couple years, so I made the move. What made me make the move was that I felt like the timing was perfect. I felt like I had built enough relationships and that I was ready for the job and what it brought.