The Memphis Tigers have received their third commitment from the transfer portal this off-season, and it’s a big one. Wichita State transfer guard Colby Rogers has committed to Memphis, he announced.
Rogers joins Tulsa transfer PJ Haggerty, Illinois transfer Dain Dainja, and returning forward Nick Jourdain on the 2024-25 Memphis roster.
What is Penny Hardaway getting in Rogers, and what does this signify about Memphis’ portal strategy?
Who is Colby Rogers?
Colby Rogers is a junior guard with one year of eligibility remaining. The Wichita State transfer spent previous stints at Cal Poly and Siena before transferring to the AAC. He will stay in the conference for his final collegiate season.
Rogers started all 34 games for the Shockers this season. He averaged 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Furthermore, Rogers shot 40.0% from the field, 40.9% from three, and 82.8% from the free throw line.
He had his way in three games against Memphis this season, despite a 1-2 record against Penny Hardaway’s club. In those matchups, he averaged 17.3 points and connected on 12 total threes.
Rogers’ Game
Colby Rogers is a 6’4 guard known primarily for his outside shooting ability. He broke the Wichita State school record for three-pointers in a single season, finishing with 99 in his junior campaign.
Rogers was elite in a catch and shoot role for the Shockers this season. The junior guard is always shot ready and has a consistent shooting form. Rogers possesses a high release point and gets his shot off incredibly quick, allowing him to connect on contested jumpers (59.3 eFG% on guarded jumpers). Rogers possesses deep range as well, making seven threes deeper than 25 feet this season. On catch and shoot opportunities, he had a 64 eFG%, good for the nation’s 93rd percentile.
The Wichita State guard is great as a movement shooter, running off screens effectively and consistently getting his shoulders and feet in position. Rogers prefers going to his right, where he scored 1.20 points per possession. Overall, he scored 1.12 points per possession coming off of off-ball screens this season, good for the nation’s 74th percentile.
On-Ball Creation
Rogers can thrive in a variety of roles. Rogers’ shooting ability makes him a tremendous off-ball threat, but he also has a nice handle that allows him to break down defenders with the ball in his hands. He was successful in isolation this season, scoring 0.85 points per possession.
Throughout the season, he was consistently able to leverage his shooting prowess to create opportunities. Rogers was successful in spot up situations this season, scoring in the nation’s 81st percentile at 1.12 points per possession. He prefers stopping in the mid-range for open jumpers rather than getting to the rim. He thrives getting to his spot in that area, specifically at the right elbow.
Rogers’ quick and high release allowed him to succeed as an on-ball scorer in the pick and roll. He used screens effectively, finding small openings in the defense and rising up for a jump shot. He did not need much space to get off his shot. Despite struggling finishing at the rim this season, he was still incredibly successful as a pick and roll ball handler. Even though he shot a lowly 35.6% at the rim, he still managed to score 0.956 points per possession in the PNR ball handler role. That mark ranked in the nation’s 84th percentile.
Rogers attracted a lot of attention with the ball in his hands. He frequently faced hard hedges and traps in pick and roll situations, and it allowed him to develop as a passer over the course of the season. At 6’4, he can see over the defense and find his roll man slipping to the basket. He finished with a 10% assist rate this season.
His Fit
Rogers’ shooting is an element that the current Memphis roster did not have. He immediately becomes the best shot-maker on the roster and makes for an intriguing pairing with Tulsa transfer PJ Haggerty.
The combination of Haggerty’s rim pressure and Rogers’ shot-making should lead to a lot of wins for Memphis this season. Expect them to quickly develop chemistry and play off each other’s strengths. While Rogers doesn’t stand out as a defender, he isn’t a slouch, and Haggerty’s success on that end of the floor should make up for any deficiciences.
Dain Dainja is a player who should find a lot of openings off of the gravity of this backcourt pairing. Haggerty’s driving ability consistently draws two defenders in the paint and he possesses the playmaking ability to find the open man. The same goes for Rogers, who’s shooting prowess generates hard hedges in ball screen situations. Big men who roll to the rim and slip screens will be wide open.
Memphis now possesses the best backcourt in the AAC. Let the show begin, Tigers fans.
