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Memphis Tigers Refuse to Release Austin Nichols

By Chris Godfrey

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Head coach Josh Pastner and the Memphis Tigers basketball program is in the midst of an ugly situation that involves the best player from last year’s team. Austin Nichols, a former top prospect who came into his own this past season, has announced his intention to leave Memphis and transfer to another school.

Nichols announced his transfer on Memphis’ ESPN Radio affiliate.

"“It was in the best interest of my family and I to decide to transfer from the University of Memphis. I want to thank everyone for supporting me in my two years at Memphis. The coaching staff, fans, family and friends. As for me, I think it’s best if I move on from here.”"

Pastner and the Tigers have responded by attempting to block the transfer, refusing to release him from his scholarship at Memphis. The reasoning behind the decision to make things difficult for Nichols is largely unknown, but there is no question as to why the Tigers want him back next season.

During a down season (18-12, 10-7 in the American) that saw the Tigers miss the NCAA Tournament, Nichols was a highly visible bright spot as he emerged as the team’s best player. Before his season ended early due to injury, the bouncy power forward established himself as a go-to scorer, routinely keeping the young Tigers competitive against the top teams in the American Conference. In fact, Nichols was the only player who averaged double-digits last season (13.3 ppg).

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Slated to enter his junior year this fall, Nichols was expected to be the veteran presence to lead a suddenly loaded Tigers squad into next season. Solid recruiting (most notably, the addition of the Lawson Brothers) and the arrival of graduate transfer point guard Ricky Tarrant had positioned the team to be one of next year’s favorites in the American. Without Nichols, it’s unclear if the Tigers still have that type of potential.

Any situation where a program refuses the release of a player is usually frowned upon, and it’s almost guaranteed to unleash a public relations firestorm. Deciding to take such a petty course of action with a college student is never best for business.

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    • So why is Pastner refusing to let go? The obvious answer is the team’s status as a dark horse Final Four contender with Nichols in the lineup, but starting both Lawson Brothers at the forward positions and playing Shaq Goodwin in the middle is a better situation than most schools can look forward to this season. Losing Nichols would be a blow, but it doesn’t necessarily create a gaping hole.

    The likely situation is that Pastner feels that he can lure Nichols back into the fold. When speaking to ESPN’s Andy Katz, he seemed legitimately puzzled by the decision.

    "“The school isn’t going to release him. We spoke with Austin in mid-June and everything was fine. We named him captain after the season. We don’t know what has changed.”"

    Pastner went on to tell Katz that Nichols had been “great” at Memphis and “terrific on the floor.” He also admitted that neither he nor his staff had contacted Nichols since his announcement on Tuesday.

    The worst interpretation of these events for Pastner would be that his decision to refuse the release is of vindictive nature. If Pastner is doing this strictly due to the feeling of being jilted at the precipice of reviving his stagnant program, the ordeal will likely play out poorly.

    At this point, we know that Nichols holds all the cards. After a breakout season, schools will clamor for his services if he follows through with his transfer (a source told ESPN that Baylor, Marquette, and Notre Dame have all spoken to Memphis about his release). Therefore, he has no shortage of options. If Pastner does convince him to change course it’s likely that Nichols will be promised much in return.

    Pastner told Katz that he believes Nichols can be the player of the year in the American next season. That means Pastner is willing to make Nichols a focal point if he can get him back. In the meantime, he’ll be forced to deflect bad press for his decision to hold his best player captive instead of supporting him in his efforts to find a new school.

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