Louisville’s Thomas is transferring to Memphis
New Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway added to his complement of talent Friday, and there’s a chance it could pay off right away.
Former Louisville forward Lance Thomas announced on social media that he will transfer to Memphis after visiting campus Thursday with his family. Memphis later confirmed his impending transfer in a press release.
The 6-foot-8 Norcross, Ga., native told The Commercial Appeal in a subsequent telephone interview that he plans to appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility during the 2018-19 season due to former Louisville coach Rick Pitino’s abrupt firing last October following revelations related to the ongoing FBI investigation into college basketball.
As a freshman last season, Thomas appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals and averaged 4.2 minutes, 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds. He has three years of eligibility remaining and would have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules if the appeal does not go in his favor.
The University of Memphis an-
nouncement regarding Thomas’s transfer stated that Thomas “will have to sit out next season per NCAA transfer guidelines, but will have three years of eligibility remaining.”
It remains to be seen how Memphis fits Thomas onto its current roster. As of Friday, the Tigers have no open scholarships available for next season after adding six other players in Hardaway’s initial recruiting class.
But multiple sources within the Memphis athletic department told The Commercial Appeal that the men’s basketball program will likely attempt to secure a medical hardship waiver for forward Karim Sameh Azab that would allow him to remain on scholarship but not count against the team’s 13scholarship limit next season.
Azab is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia.
Hardaway’s son, Jayden, is an incoming freshman and slated to be on scholarship. He could potentially become a walk-on to make room for Thomas.
Thomas confirmed that he discussed the Tigers’ scholarship situation with the Memphis coaching staff and simply said the two sides plan to “figure out a way.”
Thomas gives Memphis another versatile and athletic interior piece who could play multiple positions moving forward.
He was considered a four-star prospect out of high school and ranked No. 120 in the country by 247Sports Composite rankings. According to his bio on the Louisville athletics website, Thomas chose the Cardinals over schools such as Miami, Florida and USC.
Thomas noted Friday that Memphis was the first school to contact him after he announced his decision to transfer from Louisville on May 22.
“They were on me heavy,” Thomas said. “Penny being a former pro, Mike Miller being a former pro, and they just added Sam Mitchell, a former pro, and they got Coach Madlock on the staff, who played at Memphis. They got all basketball players. Who better to learn and get better from than former basketball players, especially the ones that played at the level you want to play on and played on the level you play on currently?”
“My whole thing is getting better,” he added. “I want to be the best Lance Thomas I can be and their pitch to me was if you come here, we’re willing to give you the book. No one’s ever had an open book test and failed, and I feel like if I have the book, I’m not going to fail.”
Thomas described himself as a “do everything” player, with the ability to block shots, handle the basketball, shoot from outside and play inside and on the wing. He is the seventh player Hardaway has added to the roster since being hired in March.
Memphis was the only school Thomas visited after announcing he would be transferring from Louisville, although he said other schools pursued him during this recruiting process. He declined to name any other finalists.
That’s partly because he liked Memphis so much.