As of now, Memphis has 11 scholarship players signed for the 2023-24 season. The outlook for the Tigers’ roster is still very unclear, however. Memphis still has multiple scholarships to fill, and multiple team-needs to address.
The statuses of some of its signed players are also in question, namely Mikey Williams.
Williams is currently charged with 6 gun-related felonies, and is set to appear for a preliminary court hearing in San Diego on June 29.
Needless to say, it’ll be quite challenging for Hardaway and his staff to run summer practices, finalize the roster and deal with Williams’ situation all at the same time. However, Hardaway has succeeded during unorthodox off-seasons before, and can certainly do it again.
Who Memphis is Expecting to Report
Given the current circumstances, fans can definitively expect 10 of Memphis’ scholarship players to report for summer workouts.
Lawson is expected to play a major role for the Tigers this season. With the current outlook of the roster, he’s likely a projected starter. Though he struggled for the majority of last season, he showed much improvement in March.
His struggles were largely caused by Memphis having to play him at center, which is not his natural position. Lawson fits much better as a power forward, and was much better when playing that role later in the year. He also improved tremendously from three-point range in the final games of the year.
Lawson should further implement the three-ball into his repertoire for 2023-24, and become a more dynamic player overall. This will be his final season of eligibility.
🎬SEASON REVIEW🎬
Memphis F Chandler Lawson (@chandlerlawson0 ) is a “high energy rim finisher who affects the game on both ends of the floor.”
“Improved shooting and better ability as roll man could help prove to NBA teams that he has a role that translates.” – @DraftDeeperpic.twitter.com/kocnh5syZR
Jayden Hardaway will also play an important role this year, though it’ll be off the bench. He’s been a reliable three-point shooter throughout his entire collegiate career, as well as a good on-ball defender. The elder Hardaway should still have plenty of trust in his oldest son for 2023-24. This will also be Jayden Hardaway’s final year of eligibility.
Cherenfant, a 6-foot-5 wing, is an extremely underrated prospect. 247Sports’ Eric Bossi projects him as a “Power-5 Starter,” calling him one of the most athletic wings in the 2023 class and a high-level defender. He’s also improved tremendously as both a ball-handler and a shooter. All in all, Cherenfant is certainly capable of earning significant minutes during the summer.
Many fans will pay attention to Ashton Hardaway, and rightfully so. The 6-foot-7 wing is one of the best shooters in the 2023 class, and helped lead Sierra Canyon to a 23-win season in his senior year. Ashton Hardaway should see the court a decent amount this coming season, especially if he improves defensively.
Taylor has seen his stock fall in the 2023 class over the last two seasons, but he’s still an immensely talented player. There was speculation that he may not report in the wake of Williams’ situation, as the two are extremely close, but sources confirm to Tiger Blueprint that Taylor is on campus. He could play an important role for Memphis as a freshman if he remains with the team.
Click here or here to learn more about Memphis’ portal class.
What Memphis Still Needs
The Tigers obviously still have a variety of needs heading into the summer, the most glaring one being a big man. Memphis is in talks with Malcolm Dandridge to potentially return, but that’s far from guaranteed to happen. And if it did happen, Dandridge isn’t an ideal option to start at center.
Memphis C Malcolm Dandridge is considering the following options, per @HitmenHoops :
BYU Oklahoma State UCF Western Kentucky Kansas State Return to Memphis
Dandridge averaged 5.7 pts and 3.6 reb per game last season for Memphis. A solid pickup. pic.twitter.com/dvuUi2LzF9
Memphis could also use another guard and a scorer on the wing. And it’s unclear what players from the portal the Tigers are prioritizing right now. The good news is that the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is quickly approaching on Wednesday.
Once that deadline passes, fans should hopefully have a clearer picture of what Memphis could be planning for its final roster.
Either way, Memphis’ season unofficially begins in early June as the Tigers look to build towards a 3rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Editor for Tiger Blueprint. See more of my work on Bluff City Media, where I’m the Memphis basketball beat writer, the Men in Hoodies podcast on Apple and Spotify and on “Sports with Roman Cleary” live on University of Memphis Radio—The ROAR Fridays from 3-4 p.m. during the fall and spring.
