All About His Two Daughters and Two Sons

Penny Hardaway is an NBA legend, but his sons call him coach.

The former Orlando Magic player’s sons, Jayden, born in July 1999 to Nikki Ward, and Ashton, born in July 2004 to Dionne Richardson, seem to have inherited his basketball skills. The brothers played on the University of Memphis basketball team in 2024, with Penny as head coach.

On the court, Penny said he knows he has “a job to do” but also makes sure to put the role of dad first, as he told ABC24 Memphis in June 2024.

“I have to do things off the court to make sure they’re good and on the court, I push them to be the best,” he said. “These are my sons. They are going to be with me for life.”

The four-time NBA All-Star also has two daughters with his high school girlfriend Latarsha McCray. Penny welcomed his elder daughter, LaTanfernee, in July 1992 and his younger daughter in 2005, per The Commercial Appeal.

Here’s everything to know about Penny Hardaway’s four children: Jayden, Ashton, LaTanfernee and his younger daughter.

LaTanfernee Hardaway, 32

Penny and McCray welcomed their elder daughter, LaTanfernee, in July 1992.

The basketball star was not a part of his daughter’s life until she was around 8 years old, according to ESPN, but the pair have since mended their relationship.

“Wanted to say Happy 21st Birthday to my daughter @tanfernee. Enjoy your day! I love you!” Penny wrote on Instagram in 2013.

Years later, LaTanfernee supported her dad by wearing a T-shirt with her father’s photos on it to a pool party, which she shared on YouTube in June 2024. “Isn’t this shirt so cute with my dad?” LaTanfernee asked her viewers.

LaTanfernee has a son, and while she doesn’t share his name publicly, she does document behind-the-scenes moments of life with her child and his father on her YouTube channel.

The eldest Hardaway child and her family live in Atlanta, where she is the CEO of LHXCollection, a jewelry brand for the “everyday gal,” per Instagram.

Jayden Hardaway,  25

Penny had his elder son, Jayden, on July 16, 1999, with Nikki Ward.

He grew up with his mother in Miami, according to The Commercial Appeal and Penny started coaching him in basketball when he was around 7 years old.

“[We were] developing the fundamentals and all that,” Jayden told ABC24 Memphis. Penny’s elder son lived in Florida until 2016, when he moved to Memphis, Tenn., with his dad. There, he attended East High School, where Penny was his basketball coach.

Jayden played basketball for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the following year before returning to Memphis to play for the Tigers during the 2018 to 2019 season. When he signed with The University of Memphis, Jayden said he was excited to join his father on the court again.

“I’m able to obviously trust my dad. I know he cares for me,” he told The Commercial Appeal in April 2018. “I know he’s going to push me to be my greatest. There just wasn’t a better situation for me than to go there.”

Jayden was born with autism, Penny told The Commercial Appeal in 2020, adding that his ability to work with this diagnosis and play basketball at the collegiate level impressed him.

“We didn’t know if he was going to ever play sports,” Penny told ABC24 Memphis. The coach also called Jayden a “walking miracle” for all he’s accomplished.

Ashton Hardaway, 20

Penny and Richardson had their son, Ashton, on July 21, 2004, and he was raised by his mother in Carson, Calif., according to the University of Memphis website.

When Ashton was growing up, Penny wanted his son to know he was “going to be there” for him. “I couldn’t be at every event, but I was going to be in his life wholeheartedly and build a great relationship,” he told ABC24 Memphis.

In that interview, Penny, Jayden and Ashton all admitted that the latter has the best shooting skills. Ashton even showed promise as a basketball player in middle school.

By high school, he made headlines when he joined Sierra Canyon and played alongside LeBron James’ sons Bronny James and Bryce James and Scottie Pippen’s son Justin Pippen, according to the L.A. Times.

Penny’s sons grew up on opposite sides of the country, but Jayden made time to watch his little brother play when he could.

“Even though I didn’t get to see him that much, I would always see his highlights and games on the internet and social media,” he told ABC24 Memphis. “I was tuned in from wherever I was. I was proud of him.”

The brothers bonded when they played for their dad at his alma mater, The University of Memphis, in 2024.

“It was the first year that, you know, we were around each other for a whole year, but we found out what we like,” Jayden said. “And we found different ways to hang out on and off the court.” Now they like going to the gym together, sending each other memes on social media and, of course, playing basketball.

Ashton transferred to St. Mary’s College for his sophomore year, Michigan Live reported in May 2024. But still, his dad was supportive.

“He’s one of the top three shooters in the country, if not number one,” Penny said in an interview with The Commercial Appeal. “He has a gift. That’s his thing.”

Penny’s Younger Daughter, 20

Penny’s younger daughter with McCray was born in 2005 and she lives out of the public eye.

In her June 2024 vlog, LaTanfernee mentioned that her mother and sister don’t live close to her so she doesn’t get to see them much.

Penny’s younger daughter and her mother visited LaTanfernee for her son’s 2nd birthday that month. The three women enjoyed oysters at a local restaurant and sang happy birthday to the toddler.