Martin: Seven years after leaving Memphis, Josh Pastner hasn’t changed

By John Martin, Daily Memphian Updated: May 26, 2023 8:47 PM CT | Published: May 26, 2023 12:35 PM CT

Daily Memphian

John Martin

John Martin is a contributing college sports columnist for The Daily Memphian. Martin is a lifelong Memphian who’s covered the Memphis Tigers’ basketball program for more than a decade. Before joining The Daily Memphian team, he was the Memphis beat writer for The Athletic. Currently, he is the co-host of the Jason and John Show on 92.9 FM ESPN, weekdays at 11 a.m. Martin is a graduate of White Station High School and the University of Memphis.

Former Memphis Tigers coach answers questions about the past, the present and the future. “I’d like to live until I’m 120 years old,” Josh Pastner said.

Topics

Subscriber Only Josh Pastner Memphis Tigers Basketball

**2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.**

Will you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news? Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization, today.

Thank you for keeping up with what’s happening in Memphis. Thank you for investing in our community’s trusted local news source.

Derrick Rose brought down the house with a preposterous dunk. Rapper Rick Ross canceled on his first Madness visit but made it for the next. Gary Parrish won a chicken-wing eating contest, Larry Finch returned (after he was fired) to coach an alumni game and D.J. Stephens paid tribute to one of the greatest Memphis players ever by wearing his jersey for a dunk contest. All these things happened at Memphis Madness, which is what John Calipari renamed it sometime along the way. So here’s the complete and colorful history of the event, drawn from my notes, columns, memories and newspaper archives.

By Geoff Calkins October 03, 2018