University of Memphis Athletics
Men’s Basketball Adds Veteran NBA Coach Roy Rogers, G League Coordinator Joshua Townsend to Staff
Oct 23, 2025 | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis men's basketball head coach Penny Hardaway finalized his 2025-26 coaching staff with the addition of Roy Rogers as assistant coach and Josh Townsend as director of scouting, the program announced Thursday.
Rogers, a former first-round NBA Draft pick and longtime assistant in the league, brings more than two decades of professional coaching experience to Hardaway's bench. Townsend joins the Tigers after recent stints in the NBA G League and at the collegiate level.
Rogers spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach on the Portland Trail Blazers staff, where he oversaw the team's defense. Under his direction, the Blazers saw a significant defensive improvement last season, climbing from the bottom five in defensive rating during the first half of the season to the top five in the second half.
The Linden, Alabama, native starred at the University of Alabama (1992-96), earning All-SEC honors before being selected 22nd overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1996 NBA Draft. Rogers went on to play eight professional seasons, including one with the Memphis Houn'Dawgs of the ABA, before launching his coaching career.
His extensive NBA resume includes assistant coaching roles with the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. His position at Memphis marks his first collegiate coaching role.
Rogers joins a staff that also includes assistant coaches Mike Davis and Jermaine Johnson and director of player alumni relations Andre Turner.
Townsend comes to Memphis following two seasons as head video coordinator for the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was also part of the Lakers' 2024 NBA Summer League staff. Prior to that, Townsend spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State (2021-23).
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Townsend played collegiately at Kutztown University, where he was named Team Captain and currently ranks ninth all-time in career rebounds (553) for the Golden Bears.
The additions of Rogers and Townsend round out a series of offseason hires for Hardaway's program, which also welcomed director of player development Darrell Brown Jr. and director of basketball operations Kristan Kelly earlier this summer.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS:
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Rogers, a former first-round NBA Draft pick and longtime assistant in the league, brings more than two decades of professional coaching experience to Hardaway's bench. Townsend joins the Tigers after recent stints in the NBA G League and at the collegiate level.
Rogers spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach on the Portland Trail Blazers staff, where he oversaw the team's defense. Under his direction, the Blazers saw a significant defensive improvement last season, climbing from the bottom five in defensive rating during the first half of the season to the top five in the second half.
The Linden, Alabama, native starred at the University of Alabama (1992-96), earning All-SEC honors before being selected 22nd overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1996 NBA Draft. Rogers went on to play eight professional seasons, including one with the Memphis Houn'Dawgs of the ABA, before launching his coaching career.
His extensive NBA resume includes assistant coaching roles with the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. His position at Memphis marks his first collegiate coaching role.
Rogers joins a staff that also includes assistant coaches Mike Davis and Jermaine Johnson and director of player alumni relations Andre Turner.
Townsend comes to Memphis following two seasons as head video coordinator for the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was also part of the Lakers' 2024 NBA Summer League staff. Prior to that, Townsend spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State (2021-23).
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Townsend played collegiately at Kutztown University, where he was named Team Captain and currently ranks ninth all-time in career rebounds (553) for the Golden Bears.
The additions of Rogers and Townsend round out a series of offseason hires for Hardaway's program, which also welcomed director of player development Darrell Brown Jr. and director of basketball operations Kristan Kelly earlier this summer.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS:
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Men's Basketball: Penny Hardaway Press Conference-October 16, 2025
Thursday, October 16
Men's Basketball: Aaron Bradshaw and Dug McDaniel Press Conference-October 7, 2025
Tuesday, October 07
Men's Basketball: Penny Hardaway Press Conference-October 7, 2025
Tuesday, October 07
Men's Basketball: Penny Hardaway, Dain Dainja and Coby Rogers Press Conference-March 21, 2025
Friday, March 21