Mar 12, 2023; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway and guard Jayden Hardaway (25) watch the NCAA selection show after the Tigers defeats the Houston Cougars in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
It is natural for most sports fans and analysts alike to simply react to information instead of absorbing it; or to complain about the things that haven’t happened instead of appreciating the things that have happened.
This unfortunate trend of Memphis fans overreacting and under-analyzing has continued throughout the early stages of the off-season for Memphis basketball. And to be fair, it’s easy to understand why that is.
Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu soon announced his intentions to pursue a professional career. Keonte Kennedy entered the transfer portal shortly after that, eventually committing to Cal.
Lawson, who committed to Creighton, was a fairly shocking departure. He was expected to be an instrumental part of Memphis’ plans for 2023-24. Dandridge’s departure, on the other hand, shouldn’t shock anyone, as the Memphis native shopped his jerseys on Snapchat a month before he entered the portal.
Malcolm Dandridge is apparently selling his Memphis jerseys on Snapchat.
I think that tells you all you need to know in terms of his status for next season. pic.twitter.com/1DRmd4RPz8
On top of that, Memphis lost both 4-star point guard Ty-Laur Johnson and 3-star wing David Tubek as parts of its 2023 high school recruiting class that was once ranked No. 5 in the country on 247Sports. The class is now ranked No. 14.
And the ranking could drop even further if Mikey Williams’ legal battle doesn’t end in his favor, or stretches too far into Memphis’ timeline.
So, obviously, the current state of where Memphis is at the moment is far from ideal. After already dealing with this issue in each of the last two off-seasons, Penny Hardaway made it clear that he wanted to have next season’s roster settled by this point.
The team is reporting to campus in early June, and facing another tough slate in non-conference play to start the season.
Unfortunately, though, unexpected departures and failed recruitments in the transfer portal have landed the Tigers in this exact same position.
And while this obviously is not good for the program, it is also the first major reason why Memphis fans should remain optimistic.
This has happened before
Hardaway and his staff have built two consecutive NCAA Tournament teams through late additions during the summer.
Most of these acquisitions were under-looked players in the portal such as Kennedy, McCadden and Franklin, but one can’t go without also mentioning the reclassifications and subsequent signings of both Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren in August 2021.
Bates was ultimately a bad fit at Memphis, but Duren was a crucial part of the Tigers’ run to the tournament in 2022.
So, there’s little reason for fans to doubt that Hardaway and the rest of the staff can pull off some more mid-summer magic in 2023.
Staff has recruiting pedigree
And speaking of the coaching staff, it’s also a reason fans should avoid panicking.
Andy Borman has numerous connections in the Nike EYBL circuit and the greater New York area. Faragi Phillips is a very prominent name in the Memphis grassroots scene. And Rick Stansbury has been playing this game for longer than most reading this have probably been alive.
“Slick Rick” has been a constant figure in the recruiting trail for years while coaching Mississippi State and Western Kentucky. And whether or not you agree with his methods of getting players, it’s hard to deny his results.
What Memphis has gotten so far in the portal
Another reason for optimism is the talent that Memphis has already brought in through the transfer portal.
And while none of these players are superstars in the college basketball world, they’re all extremely talented pieces that are ready to come in and contribute in some form or fashion.
Caleb Mills
Mills is probably the biggest name in Memphis’ portal class. The 6-foot-5 guard has been quite consistent throughout his collegiate career, averaging 12.9 points per game in the three seasons that he has fully participated in. He averaged exactly 13 points this past season for the 9-23 Seminoles and also contributed 3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.
Mills was also the 2020 AAC Preseason Player of the Year when he was at Houston. And while he isn’t what you would call a traditional point guard, he is more than capable of being a team’s primary ball handler and will be ready to fill that role for Memphis if needed. Mills has one year of eligibility remaining.
Teafale Lenard
Lenard is going to be something of a project for the Tigers, at least offensively. The 6-foot-7 junior wing averaged just 8.3 points per game last season for MTSU, and shot an underwhelming 23.2% from three-point-range.
On the defensive end, however, Lenard is going to be the Tigers’ anchor and will likely match up with the opposing team’s best scorer in most games. It’s the main reason why Lenard is arguably the most talented player in Memphis’ class, and why he’s currently projected to be a 2nd round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Here’s an NBA scout’s (@PDTScouting) take on Memphis commit Teafale Lenard Jr. (@TeafaleJ):
“He’s a high-level defender with great athleticism and underrated playmaking skills. He reminds me of Josh Minott, yet with better defense and ball control.”
Pierre is going to be the Tigers’ wild card in 2023-24. Nobody quite knows what to expect from him. On one hand, Memphis could be getting a 6-foot-9 beast that can play anywhere on the floor and shoot 40% from three-point-range, as he did for division two National Champion Nova Southeastern last season. On the other hand, though, Memphis could be getting an underdeveloped wing that’s going to have a hard time adjusting to the high-major, division one level.
In reality, Memphis is likely getting a mixture of both of those things with Pierre, but only time will tell for him.
Memphis G/F Jonathan Pierre (@Jluvbucketss ) is a talented wing with guard skills and unlimited range (40.5% from 3). He shot 41.2% off of the catch and shoot (35% guarded & 47.1% unguarded), so expect designed sets. Great facilitator & DEFENDS‼️👇 pic.twitter.com/ygzpYBRk1y
Jourdain and Young are going to play similar roles for Memphis this season.
Jourdain, a 6-foot-8 forward, is going to provide solid minutes off the bench by being efficient on both ends, providing a consistent presence on the glass and being a threat both in and outside of the arc.
🎬SEASON REVIEW🎬
NEW Memphis F Nick Jourdain (@Swiish_Alert ) is a versatile, rim-running big, who excels on defense.👀🔥
“GREAT passer and defender, with good foot-speed and handle. Shooting has IMPROVED. Expect BIG things from Nick.” – Ian Turnbull (Nick’s prep school coach) pic.twitter.com/rCWzFCVadu
Young, a 6-foot-2 guard, is basically going to be the backcourt version of Jourdain. And while he’s not coming to Memphis to be its starting point guard, it’s notable that he led UCF to an 8-1 start while filling in for an injured Darius Johnson last season. His inner circle has also implied that his demotion from the starting lineup had more to do with the coaching staff’s bias towards Johnson as opposed to Young’s on-court performance.
🐅Ⓜ️COMMITTEDⓂ️🐅
Check out new MEMPHIS G Jayhlon Young (@JayhlonYoung ) 👇🔥
Very good outside shooter, who can finish around the rim. Great vision, which allows him to excel in the half-court. Very UNDERRATED pickup for HC Penny Hardaway and Memphis.👀👇 pic.twitter.com/brxH46CuLq
Memphis also returns both Jayden Hardaway and Chandler Lawsonfrom last season’s team, and both players have proven to be reliable options and good leaders both on and off the floor.
“Portal Szn” is far from over
The last bit of optimism for Memphis fans is that the madness of the transfer portal won’t be ending any time soon.
The portal entry deadline passed on May 11. The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is rapidly approaching on May 31. So, fans should expect lots of movement throughout the country over the next few weeks.
And in that chaos, there are few coaches to trust more than Penny Hardaway to secure commitments and acquire talent.
Memphis’ biggest needs are still a couple of big men and a primary option at point guard. Judging from what Memphis has done in the past under Hardaway, the Tigers will likely get very aggressive in attempting to fill those holes and will almost certainly get players in doing so.
Memphis basketball has continuously succeeded under Penny Hardaway and his unconventional methods over the last five seasons, and that success is probable to continue in season six.
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.
