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Someone pinch Julius Thedford. He’s a Memphis Tiger. For real.

By , Daily Memphian Updated: November 10, 2025 12:05 PM CT | Published: November 08, 2025 7:27 PM CT

Season opener. FedExForum. Penny Hardaway coaching the Memphis Tigers.

There was Julius Thedford, smack dab in the middle of it.

Pinch him and say it was real.

Because it was – even if it seemed difficult for Thedford to believe that after Hardaway’s Tigers kicked off their 2025-26 season Saturday with a 76-70 nonconference home win over San Francisco.

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Topics

Memphis vs. San Francisco Memphis Tigers Basketball Subscriber Only Julius Thedford Penny Hardaway

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Tim Buckley

Tim Buckley

Tim is a veteran sportswriter who graduated from CBHS in Memphis and the University of Missouri. He previously covered LSU sports in Baton Rouge, and the University of Louisiana football and basketball for The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Network in Lafayette, the NBA’s Utah Jazz for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, and West Texas State basketball for the Amarillo Globe News in Texas.


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