Penny Hardaway's 4 Children: All About His Two Daughters and Two Sons (Who Played for Him at Memphis!)
Joe Murphy/Getty
Head Coach Penny Hardaway talks with Jayden Hardaway during a Memphis Tigers game on December 28, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.Penny Hardaway is an NBA legend, but his sons call him coach.
The former Orlando Magic player’s sons, Jayden, born in July 1999 to Nikki Ward, and Ashton, born in July 2004 to Dionne Richardson, seem to have inherited his basketball skills. The brothers played on the University of Memphis basketball team in 2024, with Penny as head coach.
On the court, Penny said he knows he has “a job to do” but also makes sure to put the role of dad first, as he told ABC24 Memphis in June 2024.
“I have to do things off the court to make sure they're good and on the court, I push them to be the best," he said. “These are my sons. They are going to be with me for life.”
The four-time NBA All-Star also has two daughters with his high school girlfriend Latarsha McCray. Penny welcomed his elder daughter, LaTanfernee, in July 1992 and his younger daughter in 2005, per The Commercial Appeal.
Here’s everything to know about Penny Hardaway's four children: Jayden, Ashton, LaTanfernee and his younger daughter.
LaTanfernee Hardaway, 32
LaTanfernee Hardaway/ Instagram
LaTanfernee Hardaway poses for a photo in April 2023.Penny and McCray welcomed their elder daughter, LaTanfernee, in July 1992.
The basketball star was not a part of his daughter’s life until she was around 8 years old, according to ESPN, but the pair have since mended their relationship.
“Wanted to say Happy 21st Birthday to my daughter @tanfernee. Enjoy your day! I love you!” Penny wrote on Instagram in 2013.
Years later, LaTanfernee supported her dad by wearing a T-shirt with her father’s photos on it to a pool party, which she shared on YouTube in June 2024. “Isn’t this shirt so cute with my dad?” LaTanfernee asked her viewers.
Penny Hardaway/ Instagram
Penny Hardaway smiles with his daughter LaTanfernee Hardaway in March 2013.LaTanfernee has a son, and while she doesn’t share his name publicly, she does document behind-the-scenes moments of life with her child and his father on her YouTube channel.
The eldest Hardaway child and her family live in Atlanta, where she is the CEO of LHXCollection, a jewelry brand for the “everyday gal,” per Instagram.
Jayden Hardaway, 25
Justin Ford/Getty
Jayden Hardaway #25 of the Memphis Tigers during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores on December 23, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee.Penny had his elder son, Jayden, on July 16, 1999, with Nikki Ward.
He grew up with his mother in Miami, according to The Commercial Appeal and Penny started coaching him in basketball when he was around 7 years old.
“[We were] developing the fundamentals and all that,” Jayden told ABC24 Memphis. Penny’s elder son lived in Florida until 2016, when he moved to Memphis, Tenn., with his dad. There, he attended East High School, where Penny was his basketball coach.
Jayden played basketball for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the following year before returning to Memphis to play for the Tigers during the 2018 to 2019 season. When he signed with The University of Memphis, Jayden said he was excited to join his father on the court again.
Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Head Coach Penny Hardaway talks with Jayden Hardaway during a Memphis Tigers game on January 12, 2020 in Tampa, FL.“I'm able to obviously trust my dad. I know he cares for me," he told The Commercial Appeal in April 2018. “I know he's going to push me to be my greatest. There just wasn't a better situation for me than to go there.”
Jayden was born with autism, Penny told The Commercial Appeal in 2020, adding that his ability to work with this diagnosis and play basketball at the collegiate level impressed him.
“We didn't know if he was going to ever play sports,” Penny told ABC24 Memphis. The coach also called Jayden a “walking miracle” for all he’s accomplished.
Ashton Hardaway, 20
Justin Ford/Getty
Ashton Hardaway #4 of the Memphis Tigers during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores on December 23, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee.Penny and Richardson had their son, Ashton, on July 21, 2004, and he was raised by his mother in Carson, Calif., according to the University of Memphis website.
When Ashton was growing up, Penny wanted his son to know he was “going to be there” for him. “I couldn't be at every event, but I was going to be in his life wholeheartedly and build a great relationship," he told ABC24 Memphis.
In that interview, Penny, Jayden and Ashton all admitted that the latter has the best shooting skills. Ashton even showed promise as a basketball player in middle school.
By high school, he made headlines when he joined Sierra Canyon and played alongside LeBron James’ sons Bronny James and Bryce James and Scottie Pippen's son Justin Pippen, according to the L.A. Times.
Penny’s sons grew up on opposite sides of the country, but Jayden made time to watch his little brother play when he could.
“Even though I didn't get to see him that much, I would always see his highlights and games on the internet and social media,” he told ABC24 Memphis. "I was tuned in from wherever I was. I was proud of him.”
John Biever /Sports Illustrated via Getty
Memphis State Tigers' Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway (25) during a game vs Pepperdine on March 19, 1993 in Milwaukee, WI.The brothers bonded when they played for their dad at his alma mater, The University of Memphis, in 2024.
“It was the first year that, you know, we were around each other for a whole year, but we found out what we like,” Jayden said. “And we found different ways to hang out on and off the court.” Now they like going to the gym together, sending each other memes on social media and, of course, playing basketball.
Ashton transferred to St. Mary’s College for his sophomore year, Michigan Live reported in May 2024. But still, his dad was supportive.
“He’s one of the top three shooters in the country, if not number one,” Penny said in an interview with The Commercial Appeal. “He has a gift. That’s his thing.”
Penny's Younger Daughter, 20
LaTanfernee Hardaway/ YouTube
LaTanfernee Hardaway and sister together in July 2024.Penny’s younger daughter with McCray was born in 2005 and she lives out of the public eye.
In her June 2024 vlog, LaTanfernee mentioned that her mother and sister don't live close to her so she doesn’t get to see them much.
Penny's younger daughter and her mother visited LaTanfernee for her son’s 2nd birthday that month. The three women enjoyed oysters at a local restaurant and sang happy birthday to the toddler.
Read the original article on People
Topics
-
Former Memphis basketball player and coach Tony Madlock leads Alabama State to NCAA tournament
Tony Madlock, who played with and coached with Penny Hardaway at Memphis, is headed to the NCAA tournament as Alabama State's head coach.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
PJ Haggerty scores 42 for Memphis after coach Penny Hardaway told standout guard he had to produce
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway was speaking from experience with his message to standout guard PJ Haggerty before the start of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. "When you’re the man and ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14 -
Memphis vs. Everybody: Experts pick Rams to upset Tigers in NCAA Tournament first round
Penny Hardaway's Memphis Tigers know how to play with a chip on their shoulders and they could need that resilience Friday against Colorado State.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
How Memphis plans to move forward after Tyrese Hunter injury: 'The next guy's going to step up'
Tyrese Hunter left Saturday's game with a foot injury. Here's what Penny Hardaway said about Hunter's injury and how Memphis will move forward.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Trump didn’t kill the penny — inflation did
His announcement stressed the fact that taxpayers lose more than two cents every time another penny is minted.The Hill - 2d -
Why Memphis basketball, Penny Hardaway got eliminated by Colorado State in NCAA Tournament first round
Memphis basketball's season ended on Friday with a loss to Colorado State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.Yahoo Sports - 6h -
Penny Hardaway's 'Blue Chips' uniform back at auction
Jersey, shorts now photo-matched to publicity photo from 1994 movieYahoo Sports - Mar. 14 -
Bethesda's Todd Howard Reveals His Two Choices For Most Influential Game Of All Time
The director behind Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield was asked to pick the most influential game of all time. Todd Howard decided there are actually two titles that fit that billing: Super Mario ...GameSpot - 3d -
Devils GM recounts son's nightmare hockey injury
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is talking about his son Casey being cut by a skate blade in an attempt to get NHL players to wear neck protection.ESPN - 3d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
WATCH: Van Horn, players postgame - Arkansas 12, South Carolina 2
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn and players postgame press conferences after the win over South Carolina.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Randle scores 20 points and Timberwolves stomp Pelicans 134-93 to keep pace in Western Conference
Julius Randle had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves avoided losing to one of the Western Conference's worst teams for the second time in three days with a ...Yahoo Sports - 15m -
49ers officially announce signing of potential Jordan Mason replacement
There's still some work to do for the San Francisco 49ers in their backfield after trading Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings.Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 30 and Thunder with 5th straight, 141-106 over Hornets
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their fifth in a row, 141-106 over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Chet Holmgren added 14 points, five rebounds ...Yahoo Sports - 18m -
A 30-win Montana State team is dropped into a bag of Buckeyes amid March Madness | Arace
Ohio State, a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, awoke in time to bury No. 13 Montana State. Next up: No. 5 Tennessee.Yahoo Sports - 20m
More in Sports
-
George Foreman dies at 76: Heavyweight boxing legend, famous entrepreneur leaves 'big' legacy
Foreman won two heavyweight championships, fought Muhammad Ali in the 'Rumble in the Jungle' and captured gold in the 1968 OlympicsCBS Sports - 11m -
WATCH: Van Horn, players postgame - Arkansas 12, South Carolina 2
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn and players postgame press conferences after the win over South Carolina.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Randle scores 20 points and Timberwolves stomp Pelicans 134-93 to keep pace in Western Conference
Julius Randle had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves avoided losing to one of the Western Conference's worst teams for the second time in three days with a ...Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Two-time heavyweight champ Foreman dies at 76
George Foreman, a two-time heavyweight champion, Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Fame boxer, died Friday at age 76.ESPN - 15m -
49ers officially announce signing of potential Jordan Mason replacement
There's still some work to do for the San Francisco 49ers in their backfield after trading Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings.Yahoo Sports - 17m