The day has come — it is Memphis Madness, and there is plenty of excitement surrounding Thursday’s event. The University of Memphis made it clear to the media that there will be no live-streaming. Penny Hardaway has been tight-lipped about what to expect. Nevertheless, rumors are swirling that there will be a few big names in attendance, such as Drake and Justin Timberlake.
One thing is for certain, Memphis wants fans to be in their seats by 7 p.m. iHeartRadio live will start off the evening at 4 p.m.
Here are things to know about Memphis Madness from The Daily Helmsman sports reporters Zach Thompson and Frank Ramirez.
Zach Thompson
Heading into one of the most anticipated basketball seasons ever for the University of Memphis, all the attention is on Memphis Madness. Plenty of rumors have circulated about the details of the event, and here are the five things to watch for Thursday night at FedEx Forum.
When Hardaway was hired as coach, one of the main things fans noticed was an increased amount of attention towards the program. However, no one could’ve expected some of the names rumored to attend. In the last week, it has been reported that Justin Timberlake, Drake, Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo and Blocboy JB will all appear at the event. While it is unclear to what extent they will be featured in the event, the mention of their names shows that Memphis Tiger basketball is back on the map.
In addition to the possible guests, one of the main purposes of any madness-type event like this is to impress potential recruits and sway them towards committing.
As of this writing, there are four prospects scheduled to be in the building Thursday night. Trendon Watford, a five-star forward and one of the Tigers’ main targets in the 2019 class, will be in attendance Additionally, D.J. Jeffries, Jahmius Ramsey and Boogie Ellis, all highly-ranked players, will also be present. Whether or not they end up with the Tigers, high-profile players showing interest in Memphis once again shows the power of Hardaway.
Surrounding Memphis Madness is a legitimate amount of excitement, feelings rarely seen since John Calipari was head coach. The event is now sold out to fans, and student RSVPs quickly ran out weeks ago. One of the main causes of the anticipation is the reception Hardaway will receive when he is introduced as the head coach in the Forum, and the near-instant boost in attendance is yet another benefit the U of M has reaped hiring him last spring.
With so much attention on the new arrivals, it can be easy to forget about the returning Tigers. Jeremiah Martin is back from the foot injury he suffered last year and seeks to be an integral part of this team during his senior season. The roster returns five seniors total, and all will play major roles on this team. Despite being less heralded than the off season additions, seniors Raynere Thornton Jr., Mike Parks Jr., Kareem Brewton and Kyvon Davenport will be eager to provide veteran leadership and prove their value on the new squad.
In the past, Memphis Madness has typically featured various forms of fan entertainment. Whether it be in a three-point shootout, a dunk contest or an inter-squad scrimmage, the Tigers basketball players will seek to inspire excitement for the upcoming regular season. The Tigers start their 2018 campaign Oct. 25 with an exhibition game against LeMoyne-Owen at FedEx Forum.
Frank Ramirez
The men’s basketball season has major hype for reasons we should all know by now, but Memphis Madness is also about hyping up the women’s team.
The women’s team brings in seven new players, a blend of junior college transfers and highly-rated recruits. This will give the women’s team a full roster to work with, unlike last year, when they were riddled with injuries that led to their 10-20 record.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the women’s team doubled their victories from the previous season (barring injuries) and get their first winning season since the 2015-16 season, when they had a record of 18-13.
Sports aside, I’m personally excited for the artists rumored to perform Thursday night (Justin Timberlake, Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, Drake and Blocboy JB). It’s a definite upgrade from last year’s artists, iHeartMemphis and Gabrielle Nichole (no disrespect), but having Memphis artists perform will complement all the Memphis talent on the teams and, of course, Anfernee Deon “Penny” Hardaway. It will be a Memphis Madness that will be hard to top next year — a treat for all Tigers fans attending.
