He was compared to Magic Johnson, a versatile young superstar who took the NBA by storm. At the height of his career, Penny Hardaway was first team all-NBA and a pop-culture icon. But injuries plagued him, and by 2008 he was out of the league and out of the public spotlight. In recent years, Hardaway helped childhood friend Desmond Merriweather coach his middle school basketball team following a cancer diagnosis. Side by side, the two lead their team to 3 straight middle school championships. In February 2015, Merriweather lost his battle with cancer. This season, committed to carrying on his friend’s legacy, Hardaway accepted the coaching job at Memphis East High School – Merriweather’s alma mater – with one goal in mind: to lead the boys to a state championship in honor of their coach.
