Memphis’ recruiting game plan on display
NORTH AUGUSTA, South Carolina — Mike Krzyzewski. John Calipari. Bruce Pearl. Several dozen more of the most notable college basketball coaches in the country.
They were all there because the friendly confines at Court 4 inside the Riverview Park Activities Center on Thursday morning featured one of Peach Jam’s most highly anticipated matchups. An annual high school basketball showcase that more often than not is reserved for rising seniors gave a couple of rising juniors a chance to steal the spotlight, if only for an hour or so.
Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway was there, too, with all his rock-star swagger. And Mike Miller. Hardaway’s right-hand man was also on hand.
Jonathan Kuminga, a small forward who attends Our Savior New American School in Centereach, N.Y., squared off against Terrence Clarke, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard who attends Brewster Academy in Boston. Kuminga, the No. 1 Class of 2021 prospect in the country, led Renaissance New York to an overtime win against Expressions Elite.
Later, Miller was back to see more of Clarke in his team’s second game of the day. Then, he migrated over to another court, where Jaden Hardy (a 6-4 guard at Coronado in Henderson, Nevada, and 2021’s sixth-rated prospect) was playing.
At the same time, Hardaway stood in the corner of yet another court where Paolo Banchero (No. 5 in the 2021 class) — a 6-9, five-star power forward who attends O’dea in Seattle — was putting his talents on display.
Hardaway and Miller’s movements indicated Memphis’ plan of attack on the recruiting trail is a focused one. The Tigers, who signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country this year, are pursuing of the highest-caliber prospects year in and year out.
Kuminga and Clarke are entertaining the possibility of jumping into the Class of 2020.
“(Memphis) wants me to be there as a guard. Penny wants to show me the way,” Clarke said. “The main thing for me is just fitting into their system as a guard, and that’s really want I want to be. Penny thinks I can be a guard as much as I think I can.
“Everybody kinda labels me as a wing. But he thinks I can be a guard.”
While Hardaway has taken the lead on Clarke’s recruitment, Memphis assistant Mike Miller has coordinated the Tigers’ efforts with Kuminga so far.
“I know Mike Miller,” Kuminga said. “I think he’s a good guy. I don’t really know Penny like that, (but) I heard a lot about Penny, that he’s a good guy, too. I’ve watched Mike Miller a lot, watched him play on Youtube. He was a shooter, a straight shooter.”
Banchero said he hasn’t heard from Hardaway yet, either. But he saw
Memphis’ second-year coach on the sideline Thursday and has already developed a relationship with Miller.
“It’s just like, I was on the couch watching Mike Miller hit threes with Lebron (James),” Banchero said. “So it was just, hearing from him, it was like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s Mike Miller.’ But then again, he talks to me like a regular person. So it’s cool.
“He talks to my dad a lot. He’s super cool with my dad.”
Kuminga and Clarke said they have wondered what it would be like to join forces at the next level. To do that, they will have to reclassify together or remain in the Class of 2021 as the odds of both players being one-and-done are pretty good.
On Thursday, Clarke sounded more confident about reclassifying than Kuminga.
“It’s definitely been there,” Clarke said. “I’ve definitely been considering it. Some of the coaches I’m talking to now, they think I can come in as 2020. I don’t really want to say who yet, but a lot of schools have been saying that.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.