Memphis Basketball: Big man Connor Vanover commits to the Tigers

Memphis basketball has had one of the more brutal off-seasons in recent memory. The recent pickup of Connor Vanover will help soften the blow.

Memphis is in a tough spot. Staffing issues combined with problems between players and coach Tubby Smith caused six out of the top eight players on the team to transfer this offseason. With guard Markel Crawford gone to Ole Miss and the Lawson brothers (K.J. and Dedrick) going to Kansas, Smith will be looking to fill a rather depleted roster.

After missing out on some of the bigger targets for 2018, Memphis received some good news with their first commitment. Connor Vanover hails from Little Rock and played his high school ball at powerhouse Findlay Prep in Nevada.

The three-star recruit chose Memphis a week after an official visit to the campus. Other schools involved included Tulsa, Rice, and UTEP. He also had interest from several SEC schools such as Alabama and Arkansas.

At 7’2″, his tall stature is a rarity for the Tigers, as they haven’t had a seven-footer on campus since Earl Barron from 1999-2002. An intriguing part of his game is how he can stretch the floor with his ability to hit perimeter shots at a good clip.

This is just the beginning for Tubby Smith and his rebuilding efforts. Next will be to find a point guard or two for the future after junior Jeremiah Martin’s reign as the distributor is over.

Memphis is still going to struggle after losing so much talent from a season ago, but gathering a 2018 commit is huge for their future.

Rosters can change at any minute and the Tigers are going to have to pick up the pieces. And with Wichita State entering the fray the level of competition has increased. How Memphis recruits and develops will determine their place in the new AAC.