Two Legends. One City. One Cause.

What a night, Memphis.

Last night, two legends stepped onto the court—not just as rivals, but as two people who share the same purpose. Coach Penny Hardaway and Coach John Calipari reunited at center court for the Hoops for St. Jude Classic as the Memphis Tigers took on the Arkansas Razorbacks. And while the scoreboard was lit, the real win of the night was something much bigger: uniting for the fight to end childhood cancer and investing in the future of our city.

A Rivalry Rooted in Respect—and Investment

Before the game, Penny and Cal made a meaningful stop—you may have seen the video floating around—where they visited various Memphis orgs that are making a difference in the city. They even talked with Mayor Paul Young about the soul of this city—the innovation that's in everything we do, the cultural flavor, the corporate strength of hometown giants like FedEx and AutoZone, and the unmatched spirit of community.

“Innovation is in our DNA,” Mayor Young said. And he’s right.

That DNA showed up strong yesterday as two coaches came together to be a megaphone for what really matters: investing in Memphis.

A Day in the Life of Memphis Magic

Here's a few things they saw when they hit the Memphis streets:

🎓 Grizzlies Prep – Did you know that Memphis is the only city in the country with an NBA franchise running a school? Plus, it's a really good one. They've been ranked a Level 5 school every single year since COVID, which is the highest performance rating you can get in TN. Penny and Cal encouraged students, dropped wisdom, and soaked in the energy of a school that’s doing it right.

🎭 Crosstown Concourse – They met with Crosstown Arts EP Stacy Wright and explored arts innovation, talking about Crosstown High, another partner school doing bold things in education. Crosstown Concourse is a place where business, education, culture, healthcare, and so much more come together. 

🎶 Stax Music Academy – This year is their 25th anniversary, and they’re still shaping talent and raising voices that shift the way the world sees Memphis. While there, the coaches also learned about the Soulsville Charter School, where students are showing out with a 100% college acceptance rate year after year.

Here’s How You Can Help Them

Coach Hardaway and Coach Calipari understand something essential:

Sharing the Good News of Memphis matters!

If you’re feeling that, too—our city needs its people sharing all the good news—you don’t have to be a coach or a mayor to get started.

Forward this email to some friends. 

Share the video on your social media. 

Use this video in your own recruiting.

Reach out me and we can help you get this video to share on your own platforms, in your own ways, to help spread the good news. 

Thanks, Coach Hardaway. Thanks, Coach Cal. Thanks, Memphis.

Let’s keep investing in what matters most—together.