When the University of Memphis hired Penny Hardaway as the head coach for the men’s basketball team, one of the main reasons for excitement among fans was a potential boost in recruiting. After signing a recruiting class that featured two high-profile Memphis-area guards, Alex Lomax and Tyler Harris, Hardaway showed he has what it takes to bring talent into the program.
As the focus shifts to preparing for the upcoming season, and practices get underway, Hardaway hasn’t lost sight of the importance of the 2019 class either.
“I feel confident that we’ll get another commitment before the end of the early signing period for sure,” Hardaway said.
With a commitment already in place from Malcolm Dandridge, the Tigers are adding another East High School player for the upcoming season. Although Dandridge will be a nice addition to the frontcourt starting in 2019, East High has another high-profile recruit who is also on the Tigers’ radar.
James Wiseman is the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2019 and, before Hardaway’s hiring, was considered almost guaranteed to play for John Calipari at Kentucky. However, after uniting NBA legends Hardaway and assistant coach Mike Miller on the Memphis team, the Tigers are right in the mix for the class’ most sought-after talent.
Wiseman and his family hosted Hardaway and Miller for an official in-home visit back in April, and Hardaway said during a media availability Wednesday that he and Miller can “get in any home because of that reason, families want to listen to our game plan and what we have for them and their child.”
While Wiseman is undoubtedly one of the more high-priority players currently on the recruiting radar, there are many other big names that have some link to the program. As it stands, the Tigers are in the mix for a variety of blue-chip prospects including five-star forward Trendon Watford and four-star forward and former Kentucky commit DJ Jeffries.
Jeffries became the first Kentucky commit ever during the Calipariera to reopen his decision, and many analysts say Hardaway’s connection to Jeffries from their Amateur Athletic Union days was a driving force behind the decision.
Looking ahead even further to the 2020 class, Memphis has already hosted Jalen Green and RJ Hampton for official visits. In the current rankings for that year’s crop, Green and Hampton are slotted as the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects overall, respectively. Although there is no guarantee either will end up with the Tigers, the fact that Hadaway has not even coached his first game yet, and there has already been so much attention brought to the program is an encouraging sign for fans and students alike.
College basketball is a sport that is purely driven by results. Although no one can be sure how successful Hardaway’s Memphis tenure will be, it is certain Memphis will once again be a factor on the national stage. For the first time since Calipari’s reign, Memphis basketball will compete with national powerhouses for the types of high-caliber recruits that win programs championships.
Penny Hardaway speaks with the media about the first days of practice. Hardaway signed high-profile recruits for this season and said he hopes to sign another for next season before early signing ends.
