NCAA Basketball: Top 26 team transfer winners from 2022 offseason

Outgoing transfers: Tyler Harris, Landers Nolley, Sam Onu, John Camden, Emoni Bates, Earl Timberlake

Incoming transfers: Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu (UT-Arlington), Elijah McCadden (Georgia Southern), Kendric Davis (SMU), Keonte Kennedy (UTEP), Emmanuel Akot (Boise State)

Despite losing several rotation players from last season’s roster, I would argue that a good amount of it was “addition by subtraction”. And instead, Memphis has built a roster that still has talent but in my opinion, fits much better.

The biggest offseason addition is Kendric Davis, who won AAC Player of the Year in the same conference as Memphis. He led SMU with 19.4 ppg and 4.4 apg this past season, including 19 points and 10 assists against Northwestern State, 33 points versus New Mexico, and 27 points and four assists in a battle against his future team in Memphis.

Davis is a massive upgrade at point guard since head coach Penny Hardaway arrived at the program and will run the offense well. Joining him in the backcourt are 5th-year senior Elijah McCadden and 6’6 wing Keonte Kennedy, who averaged 14.1 ppg this past season at UTEP. Akot is a 6’8 versatile forward that can do a little bit of everything and is a solid defender.

Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu is a unique pickup in that he doesn’t provide much offense but the 6’9 forward may be the most athletic frontcourt player in NCAA Basketball. His measurables and athleticism are off the charts and in two years at the Sun Belt level have blocked 134 total shots. If he can provide some good interior defense alongside Deandre Williams, the Tigers will have the all-around skills on the roster to compete.

Memphis doesn’t have any five-star incoming freshmen or surefire NBA prospects and yet this roster may be most likely to succeed since Hardaway arrived in the program. And if Davis produces at the same rate as he did with the Mustangs, the Tigers will be in the top-25 range all of next season.