How Boyce became a Tiger
The late addition of former UAB signee Ryan Boyce to the Memphis men’s basketball team roster last month reconfirmed to coach Penny Hardaway a notion he first grasped as a high school and grassroots basketball coach.
Oftentimes, the best sales pitch comes from the players within your program.
That, as it turned out, is how Boyce was convinced to ask out of his scholarship at UAB in order to join the Tigers as a preferred walk-on this season. Hardaway called the entire process “amazing” in retrospect.
“The kids kind of recruited him and wanted him to stay home,” Hardaway said Tuesday when he spoke with reporters for the first time since Boyce’s commitment. “It’s always great to have the kids that are from here, that can play on the level to be here at the school, to stay at home, and we’re happy to have Ryan.”
“He gave up a scholarship to UAB to stay home,” Hardaway continued, “so that says a lot about him and says a lot about what he believes we can do for him and his game.”
What Boyce brings to Memphis
Hardaway added that Boyce will be a walk on this year, but the plan is for him to be given a scholarship at Memphis starting with the 2019-20 campaign.
The versatile and athletic 6-foot-6 wing won a state championship with Hardaway at Memphis East High School this past season and can be used at multiple positions, particularly on the defensive end. He should fit in well with Hardaway’s up tempo philosophy moving forward.
Boyce is the second former East player to join Hardaway at Memphis, along with freshman point guard Alex Lomax. Forward Malcolm Dandridge, who will be a senior at East this season, is currently the line 2019 commitment for Memphis.
Boyce was considered a consensus three-star prospect in the class of 2018 by the major recruiting services and originally signed a national letter of intent with UAB last November. He was granted a release from that agreement in order to walk on at Memphis.
He began participating the Tigers'
night. The Grizzlies thought they had a steal.
It hasn't panned out that way thus far, and through the summer, Davis has shown why. Listless on the court and off, Davis doesn't exude the kind of body language that teams typically want to see. He hasn't asserted himself on the defensive end and hasn't been able to provide the rim-running and explosive work at the rim the Grizzlies hoped to see. He hasn't expanded what looked last season to be a burgeoning midrange jump shot, and he looks to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the upcoming season's rotation.
The question remains: What is it that Davis consistently does at a high level?
Jevon Carter not quite ready for role in rotation
The defensive bona fides of the 32nd overall pick are well-known; being a two-time collegiate Defensive Player of the Year will do that for you. Over the course of his college career, Carter developed a solid offensive game and a decent outside shot, too. Most observers penciled him in as a potential immediate rotation player, even as a rookie. In Vegas, though, Carter hasn't looked ready for that role.
Carter's defense was never going to shine in a setting as improvisational as summer league. His qualities as a dogged one-on-one defender probably will emerge in a more structured game. In Vegas, he's been inconsistent on defense, with moments of excellence followed by times he's been screened out of position, or given up a few buckets.
What's been a bit more alarming has been the work on the offensive side. Summer league tends to be guard-heavy by its nature, so if the guards don't orchestrate for the other players, things probably are not going to look good. And they have not looked good at all for the Grizzlies. Carter hasn't developed any chemistry on pick-and-rolls, seems to have poor timing on entry passes (when they come at all), and has struggled with his own shot. Carter has averaged 6 points per game on 25 percent shooting in Vegas and has taken only two freethrow attempts in three games.
Where will Ivan Rabb fit in?
Rabb has played pretty well on offense in Vegas, averaging 13 points on 60 percent shooting and showing some nimble footwork around the basket. He consistently shows a nose for the ball and a willingness to do dirty work. Rabb's rebounding was a strength in limited action last season and has continued to be the same this summer.
The concerns about Rabb continue to be related to his size and strength. He's just not especially strong, which at times has negated his ability to put himself in the right positions. He gets to the spot but sometimes just is not strong enough to maintain it.
Looking ahead, Rabb's role with the main roster is still unclear. He's never even taken a 3 and won't be able to stretch the floor on offense. He's not a center but can't play the more spacingoriented role typically expected of power forwards these days. His defense is problematic, too, and with a roster chock full of power forward-types, Rabb might struggle to earn playing time.