There’s no questioning that last season was the worst for Memphis basketball under the leadership of Penny Hardaway. The Tigers have had a few underwhelming finishes in recent years, but last season really stood out. Memphis finished just 13-19, tying for 8th place in the American after seven straight 20-win seasons and Top 5 finishes in the league. Hardaway is back for his ninth year at the helm and is certainly hoping to pull this program out of that rut.
A slew of senior talent is gone, though who knows what that actually means with these recent court rulings. Dug McDaniel and Sincere Parker are both gone alongside a few decent transfers, though perhaps it’s not a total loss after last year’s disappointment. The only major returner is Julius Thedford, a rising junior guard who put up 8.4 points per game, while William Whorton is also back as a depth piece in the frontcourt.
Home grown players
It’s actually a trio of Memphis natives that construct this freshman class, highlighted by 4-star forward Fred Smith Jr., though the transfer haul stands out far more. Some intriguing backcourt talent comes in Luke Almodovar from Southeast Missouri State, Brandin Cummings from Pittsburgh, and Josh Holloway from Texas A&M, with all three likely to see run on the court. Tylik Weeks averaged nearly 20 points a game at Southern Miss while Corneilous Williams showed promise in North Alabama’s frontcourt as well.
Among those and other offseason additions, Memphis might need the most out of Jayden Reid this upcoming season. A 5-10 point guard from Westbury, New York, he was a solid weapon as an underclassman at South Florida before transferring to Northwestern last season. It was far from the best season for the Wildcats, but Reid really established himself as a facilitator, putting up 10.1 points and 5.0 assists per game as a junior.
Brings a strong resume
Reid was 5th in the Big Ten in assists last season and did have some nice steals numbers back in this same conference with South Florida. He’s been a point guard in the American before and has a chance to be a special player for the Tigers just the same. While not exactly known for his long-range shooting, as those numbers dipped last season, Reid has the ability to produce offensively, both by making plays around the rim and by putting his teammates in positions for success.
When teams have this much turnover, we usually put a lot of pressure on veteran point guards as important leaders and it’s no different here. Combining his talent, potential, and experience in this league, Reid looks like he could be the real deal in this Memphis backcourt and the major reason they climb back towards the top of the conference standings. If not, things could look very different for this program in six or seven months.
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