Sources have indicated to Tiger Blueprint that Memphis has shown interest in South Dakota transfer guard Kruz Perrott-Hunt.
Perrott-Hunt, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, initially planned to pursue a professional career overseas before he instead entered the transfer portal on May 11.
South Dakota G Kruz Perrott-Hunt has entered the transfer portal. Grad transfer. https://t.co/jwmtHVc8j4
The list of potential suitors for Perrott-Hunt remains unclear, but Memphis should expect stiff competition for a player that started 85 of 86 games in his last three seasons at South Dakota.
How Would Perrott-Hunt Fit at Memphis?
It’s obvious that Memphis’ top priority is and should be addressing the frontcourt. To put it bluntly, the Tigers are quite thin in that area and desperately need help there.
In saying that, however, the backcourt is far from a perfect product. Memphis’ projected lead guards are Mikey Williams and Caleb Mills, but the depth behind them leaves much to be desired.
Perrott-Hunt, a career 40% three-point shooter, would provide an instant scoring boost for a Tigers team that failed to get much production from its backcourt outside of Kendric Davis in 2022-23. This season for South Dakota, Perrott-Hunt averaged 14.3 points, 2.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range.
A grad transfer, Perrott-Hunt would also bring much-needed experience to a backcourt that’s expected to heavily feature a freshman in Williams.
Whether fans like it or not, the Tigers will have to rely on Williams throughout the entire season to be successful. Giving him more help will only make the transition easier for the social media star.
Perrott-Hunt’s best traits are easily his scoring ability and ball-handling. He’s simply one of those players that can get a bucket when his team needs it. Whether it’s from in or outside the arc, he can be reliably efficient and can put up good numbers.
He is particularly adequate on catch-and-shoot opportunities, shooting 67% on effective field-goal attempts. That puts him in the 97th percentile of that category.
He is also an enthusiastic playmaker, garnering a 16% assist rate. And though his rebounding lacked in 2023, he averaged 4.1 rebounds per game in 2022. So, it’s quite possible that his rebounding can take a leap this season.
Perrott-Hunt has never been the best defender throughout his collegiate career, but his 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame would fit in nicely with Memphis’ system. If nothing else, he’d be a lengthy body that gives opposing ball-handlers fits on the defensive end.
Will Perrott-Hunt End Up a Tiger?
With the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline being on May 31, Memphis basketball is very much in limbo. Admittedly, there are a lot more questions than answers pertaining to the Tigers’ roster at the moment.
By the time the withdrawal deadline comes around, and some of our questions are answered, Perrott-Hunt may not even be a thought anymore for Memphis. As Hitmen Hoops always says, recruiting is fluid and always changing. And what’s happened for Memphis throughout the off-season has certainly proved that to be true.
Regardless, Perrott-Hunt would be a welcome addition to a Memphis basketball program that’s attempting to win its first AAC Regular Season title and go to the NCAA Tournament for the 3rd consecutive season.
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.
