Memphis forward Ashton Hardaway reads to second-grade students.

It wasn’t a typical Monday morning at Cornerstone Prep Denver, which primarily serves pre-K through fifth-grade students in the Frayser community.

That’s because Champions for Literacy brought an early Christmas gift for some of the school’s second-grade students—a chance to read with Memphis freshman forward Ashton Hardaway. Well, it was actually less of a gift and more of a reward for students who read at least 20 books this semester. But still, a cool opportunity nonetheless.

Hardaway was already there to greet the students as they entered room No. 211 on the school’s second floor. Everyone then moved to a carpet located on the right-hand side of the room, where the 19-year-old read Alice Walstead’s “How to Catch a Reindeer,” frequently quizzing the class as he made his way through the 35-page book. Hardaway asked one student how the book made him feel.

“Happy and bored,” the student said.

Once Hardaway finished reading, it was his turn to field questions. The students, who get out for winter break Wednesday, asked him how tall he is. Hardaway said he is 6-foot-9, giving himself an extra inch above his listed height at 6-foot-8. They also inquired about Hardaway’s father—Tigers head coach and former NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway—and his own ambitions to make the “MBA,” which they likely thought stood for the Memphis Basketball Association. Hardaway had to explain that he actually wants to be in the NBA one day, and that he currently plays for the Tigers and not the Grizzlies.

The star of the day was then gifted a holiday-themed poster with printouts of both his face and a Memphis Tigers logo located in the center of the cardboard masterpiece. Hardaway took pictures with nearly everyone in the room before saying goodbye.

“It was fun seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces and giving them some hope,” Hardaway said. “It was really a great experience being inspiring to the youth because I was there at one time.”

Champions for Literacy, which collaborated with Hardaway and Bluff City Collective for this event, is a local, non-profit organization that uses coaches and athletes to promote childhood reading. It used to be called Coaching for Literacy, but executive director Jason Baker says the new name makes more sense because anyone can be a champion for literacy.

“Our whole thing is getting athletes involved in kids reading,” Baker said. “Kids reading is super important—that third-grade benchmark specifically just kinda sets the trajectory for a kid’s life. There’s really no better person in the city than a Memphis Tiger basketball player to talk about it and promote it.”

This is a bit more than a simple NIL obligation for Hardaway, though. He’s well aware of the influence he has on others as a Division I athlete. And he wants to use that voice to the best of his ability.

Hardaway, who’s started in the Tigers’ last two games, wants kids to know just how important reading and education is. No matter one’s upbringing or surroundings, he and Champions for Literacy believe that empowering students to become good readers sets them up for exponential success.

“I know a lot of kids don’t have it as easy as maybe others do. So [me] giving them tools to help them be successful later on in life and me having a voice, I think that helps them a lot,” Hardaway said. “We really try to push this out, get other kids to read, do well in school and really just inspire them to be better—and not just let their surroundings have an effect on them. They can always do better.”

Hardaway and the Tigers take on No. 13 Clemson inside FedExForum Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN+).