JUCO forward commits to Tigers
Davenport’s past year: 16.5 points and 10.6 boards
The Memphis basketball team landed another junior college recruit to cap off an eventful week for coach Tubby Smith and his staff.
Forward Kyvon Davenport of Georgia Highlands College announced via social media that he had committed to Memphis after an official campus visit this weekend. The 6-foot-8 Gainesville, Ga., native was named the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association player of the year after averaging 16.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game this past season.
Davenport will have two years of eligibility for the Tigers and should garner immediate playing time in the frontcourt following the recent offseason departures of brothers Dedric and K.J. Lawson and forward Chad Rykhoek.
Memphis assistant coach Joe Esposito served as Davenport’s primary recruiter at Memphis. Davenport did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on his commitment.
“I want to thank my family for supporting me so much throughout the whole time and even helping me make my decision,” he wrote on Twitter. “I want to thank my juco coaches and high school coaches for pushing me and making me better throughout the whole process. Thank you coach Esposito for putting in the hard work recruiting me. With that being said, I will continue my basketball career at University of Memphis!”
Davenport is the second junior college recruit to pick Memphis over the past four days as part of its push ahead of college basketball’s late signing period, which officially begins Thursday. Guard Kareem Brewton of Eastern Florida State College committed to the Tigers last Thursday night. Both he and Davenport were in Memphis this weekend along with point guard Chris Darrington, who is expected to take other official visits before making a college decision.
Ranked the No. 19 junior college prospect in the country by jucorecruiting.com, Davenport only started playing basketball competitively as a freshman in high school. Davenport told The Commercial Appeal earlier this month that he gained valuable experience and consistency while adding about 22 pounds to his now 205-pound frame in the junior college ranks. He finished ranked among the top 10 in the country in blocked shots during both seasons at Georgia Highlands.
“I can do a variety of things,” Davenport said. “I can post up or I can start from the perimeter.”
Davenport’s other finalists were East Tennessee State, South Florida and Arkansas State, although Ole Miss, Colorado State and Murray State were among the “15 to 20” Division-I schools that offered him a scholarship, according to Georgia Highlands assistant coach Matt Williams.
“He’s an athletic stretch four that has really improved his shooting,” Williams said earlier this month. “I think he’s just got to continue to put on more weight and tightening up his ball-handling and some things like that and he could be a very good player. The best thing about him is he’s very, very versatile. He’s got great feet, so he can guard multiple positions and he also blocks shots. He can fit what they do and they have a need at that position.”
Memphis now has four available scholarships for next season with Davenport in the fold, although the Tigers are still awaiting word on the future of redshirt junior Markel Crawford. He is eligible to be a graduate transfer this year and could become the sixth player from last year’s roster to leave the team since Smith’s first season at Memphis ended last month.
Davenport’s commitment came just hours after freshman guard Keon Clergeot, the first recruit Smith brought to Memphis, announced he would not be returning to the Tigers next year.
Memphis is also scheduled to host class of 2017 forward Matt Stanley, who is currently committed to Division-II Ouachita Baptist University, and 6foot-7 junior college forward Raynere Thornton on campus visits over the coming week. The Tigers already have three incoming freshmen signed for next year in addition to Brewton and Davenport.