NCAA Basketball: Predicting best player from top 2021 recruiting classes
By Ian Mumm
5. Memphis Tigers
Recruiting Class: Jalen Duren, Josh Minott, Johnathan Lawson, Sam Ayomide, and John Camden
For the third year in a row, the Tigers were not able to capitalize on their overall roster talent to make the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Penny Hardaway has done a good job of elevating the program back into a higher regard nationally and contending for the final spots in the Field of 68. His ability to recruit lights out, when his roster has open scholarships, cannot be ignored however and his success in this area has been a large reason why the Tigers’ expectations have been so high.
Hardaway has managed to sign a pair of 5-star frontcourt prospects since taking over the program, but off-court issues (James Wiseman) and a slower development curve (Moussa Cisse) prevented immediate returns in both situations. To provide balance to the roster, he has resorted towards an equivalent approach to both the high school and transfer recruiting efforts in recent seasons.
This year has been no different for Hardaway and Memphis, landing the strong quartet of Josh Minott, Johnathan Lawson, Sam Ayomide, and John Camden from the high school ranks. Additionally, former high-touted recruits Earl Timberlake (Miami) and Chandler Lawson (Oregon), Johnathan’s brother, to the team via transfer.
The additions in and of itself are huge for the Memphis program who went through a lot of rearranging this offseason amid the NCAA’s amended transfer policy. However, the cherry on top is certainly the commitment of 5-star center and recently reclassified 2022 #1 overall recruit Jalen Duren.
The addition is huge news for the Tigers program, with potentially more news on the way with rumblings of a potential commitment from Emoni Bates, but Duren again offers Coach Hardaway the opportunity to feature a game-changing and program-altering frontcourt prospect to control the floor.
Unlike Cisse last season, Duren provides immediate two-way production that Hardaway hoped to take advantage of with Wiseman on his roster. Showcasing an expansive skillset in recent tournaments including Peach Jam, Duren is capable of consistent results at the collegiate level and his likely stranglehold of the center spot will lead to nearly endless opportunities on the court.
Prediction: Jalen Duren