After a season of highs and some catastrophic lows, Penny Hardaway is going back to his roots as a head coach by recruiting a defensive-minded team, specifically in the front court.
In this article, we’ll dive into each player individually and analyze how they all fit together.
Moussa Cisse
A 7-foot big man, who once began his career at Memphis, Moussa Cisse is back for his final year of eligibility.
While not too much of a threat on the offensive end, Cisse has a huge impact on games defensively. Winning the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honor and blocking 198 shots in his career, he fits exactly what Hardaway is looking for.
Cisse can also be a force on the boards, where he averaged eight rebounds per game in his junior season. Even though he is not overly skilled offensively, he will be a key lob threat for the Tigers this upcoming season.
Dain Dainja
Perhaps the biggest question mark on the roster, Dain Dainja joins the Tigers for his senior campaign.
Dainja’s stats last season don’t jump off the screen, but that does not mean he was unproductive during his tenure at Illinois. Going back to his sophomore season, you can see he was a very solid center in the Big 10, averaging 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Some pessimism may come from him not being exceptionally athletic. However, since joining the roster, Dainja has already begun to get in much better shape.
Tyreek Smith
On the contrary, Tyreek Smith has joined Memphis from SMU, bringing in elite athleticism.
Smith is a high-motor guy who brings energy to both sides of the floor. A perfect fit for Memphis, Smith has tremendous defensive instincts, averaging 1.7 blocks and 1 steal last season. As he said himself, he’s a player that teams will have to box out.
Nick Jourdain
The lone returner from last year’s squad, Nick Jourdain remains in the mix and can stretch the floor.
Jourdain’s role will go beyond production on the floor as he will work to help integrate the new additions. As we saw last season, Jourdain is another high-energy player and the best shooter in Memphis’s current front court. Likely to play a similar role, Jourdain was a nice piece to retain.
Overall Evaluation and Fit
Hardaway, expressing the wish to return to being a defensive team, did a great job recruiting for the front court. He acquired multiple players who defend the rim at an elite level and will provide sparks for the team throughout the game. There are various lineups that can be utilized, making these pieces collectively very intriguing. Offensively, they should be able to do enough and shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
