Giannotto
It was the fact that we now know Memphis Madness will be held on Oct. 4 .
What Memphis Madness means to Tigers basketball
Hardaway revealed this during the annual Rebounders banquet Tuesday night, ahead of an the athletic department's official announcement on Wednesday.
It will be the most compelling event Memphis basketball has put on in years, which is a reflection of Hardaway’s progress over the past five months, the program’s decline prior to his arrival and the lack of any actual evidence of how he’ll be as a coach once the real games tip off.
For now, we can only go on what he’s been able to do so far.
And so far, if there’s one part of the job Hardaway has proven to be adept at, it’s that he’s got the recruiting thing down.
Moreover, if Hardaway can land multiple five-star recruits for this 2019 class, which is the plan, there won’t be nearly as much pressure surrounding what he does on the court this season.
The hope is for Memphis Madness to be a catalyst for all that.
Could Yo Gotti or Justin Timberlake show up?
It’s why speculation began long ago about what Memphis-based musician, or musicians, will perform there. Is Yo Gotti coming back? Back in June, he invited Hardaway on stage during his birthday bash at FedExForum.
What about Moneybagg Yo, who recently came to a Tigers’ basketball practice? Or perhaps BlocBoy JB makes an appearance?
Can Millington native Justin Timberlake make a pit stop in Memphis in between tour dates in Cleveland and Chicago?
If you aren’t familiar with any of their music, well, that’s fine. Because entertaining the fans has always been a secondary goal of Memphis Madness.
How Memphis basketball recruiting can be impacted
This is always about recruiting, and what recruits want to see.
It’s about impressing James Wiseman and D.J. Jeffries and Trendon Watford, and every other big-time prospect that ends up coming that night. It’s about Jalen Green and R.J. Hampton, the two top-five 2020 recruits who announced this past weekend that they will take their first official visits to Memphis next month.
This is about filling FedExForum for another celebration of the Hardaway hiring, which may seem like overkill given the city has been in celebration mode since the day he got the job. But that’s what recruits need to see after the past few years when Memphis wasn’t nationally relevant.
It’s about, quite frankly, out-cooling Kentucky and every other blue blood Hardaway is trying to compete with these days.
It’s likely no coincidence this year’s Memphis Madness is a week earlier than last year, and a week before Kentucky traditionally holds its version of this (Big Blue Madness), which Drake attended in recent years.
Of course, Drake's father is a Memphis native and his recent hit with Blocboy JB, "Look Alive," features lyrics about "Shelby Drive."
The music video was even filmed here in the city.
So maybe Hardaway can flip Drake? That would be his biggest recruiting win yet.