DeAndre Williams #12 of the Memphis Tigers walks off the floor with Assistant Coach Larry Brown after being defeated by the Gonzaga Bulldogs 82-78 during the second half in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. Abbie Parr/Getty Images/AFP
Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, 82, is taking a leave of absence from his role at Memphis to address what the program called “a minor medical issue.”
The program said in a tweet that Brown hopes to return to the team soon.
“We wish him all the best and respect his privacy at this time,” the tweet read.
Since June 2021, Brown has served as a special advisor to head coach Penny Hardaway.
He is the only coach to win a title at both the NBA and collegiate levels. He led the Kansas Jayhawks to the NCAA championship in 1988 and won an NBA title as coach of the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Brown also coached stints at UCLA and SMU in addition to a lengthy NBA career leading the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Charlotte Bobcats.
Memphis’ season begins on November 7 with a road game at Vanderbilt.