MEMPHIS — Norton Hurd IV and Penny Hardaway were at one time competitors on the grassroots basketball scene, each eager to beat the other in landing the best talent in Memphis and beyond and winning big with it on the elite shoe circuits.



But the once fiercely competitive nature of their relationship has changed since Hardaway became the coach at Memphis last March. It had to, frankly, if Hardaway was going to lock down most of the area’s top prospects for the hometown Tigers. That included local products like guard Tyler Harris, who played and starred for Hurd — the coach and program director of Under Armour-sponsored Team Thad — despite the persistent beckoning of Hardaway for Harris to join him and Nike-sponsored Team Penny.



Hardaway couldn’t get Harris on the grassroots circuit. But he did persuade Harris to turn down a promise of 30 minutes a game from Baylor to play for him at Memphis. Harris is six 3-pointers away from tying...