Penny Hardaway Uses Bronny James’ Influence on Son Ashton to Describe Exit From Memphis – “We Kind of Forced It”

Is it Bronny James’s influence that led to Penny’s son’s exit from Memphis? Yes, at least that’s what 51-year-old Penny Hardaway thinks about his son. Recently, Ashton Hardaway transferred to Saint Mary’s after playing last season for his father at Memphis. Since then, the basketball world has been seeking the reason behind his exit. But why?

While Hardaway was part of Memphis, he averaged 8.2 minutes per game and 2.3 points per game with 34.3% shooting accuracy. His surprise exit, despite having an impressive score, raised eyebrows in the basketball world. But Penny Hardaway has something to unveil on this.

In a recent interview session, Penny Hardaway sat with the team of Point Forward (with Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner) to share his insights about his son. A glimpse of the interview was then posted on the official YouTube channel with the title, “Penny Hardaway: The OG Point Forward.”

Within minutes of being aired, the video captivated the audience. He started off with, “When Ashton went back to L.A., he and Bronny are really close friends. Bronny got in the portal and decided, you know, to put his name in the NBA draft…We kind of forced him” But the secret is ahead.

Penny Hardaway’s take on Ashton’s decision

Moving on, he unveiled, “And right after that, you know, Ashton spoke about wanting to do that because I don’t think he was ever comfortable here because we kind of forced it, and I felt kind of guilty for that because it’s probably not where he really wanted to come. I think he wanted to make me proud to come here, but I think St. Mary’s is a wonderful choice for him because that’s more his style, his flow, and what he wants to do, even though I want him around me every day to just, you know, to pour into him.”

Not only this, but Penny Hardaway went on to appreciate Ashton, saying, “But in today’s world, I mean, there are other coaches’ sons around the country that I’ve seen that have transferred and gone other places, and you can’t do anything but champion it and just applaud them and say, hey, I’m going to support you in whatever you do, and I’ll be there whenever you need me.”

Now, Ashton will be moving forward with the Gaels for the upcoming season, where he will be accompanied by Aidan Mahaney and Joshua Jefferson. Now, the question is: Will Hardaway’s son be able to accomplish a similar feat as his father? Stay tuned to learn more!