As the carousel turns
What to expect for Memphis basketball and the transfer portal
It appeared as if things were calming down after Memphis basketball lost a quarter of its roster to the transfer portal .
Then, Friday afternoon, freshman guard Jordan Nesbitt became the fourth player in three days to enter the transfer portal. Meanwhile, coach Penny Hardaway and the rest of the staff have stayed busy monitoring the portal to see who could be coming and who else could be going.
On Saturday, the Tigers learned of one player who is coming, as Davion Warren, the leading scorer at Hampton this season, committed to Memphis.
Here's everything else we know after a wild week:
Will there be more transfers?
Short answer: Maybe.
The conversation begins with
Moussa Cisse. After being named the AAC'S Freshman of the Year, Cisse has multiple options.
He could enter the transfer portal, opt to turn pro or come back for his sophomore season. Cisse's situation has been the most difficult to gauge for everyone involved, which makes backup center Malcolm Dandridge's standing somewhat fluid. If Cisse leaves, it is believed Dandridge will stay. If Cisse stays, the feeling is Dandridge will seek other opportunities.
The consensus within the program is guards Alex Lomax, Lester Quinones and Jayden Hardaway will be back. Leading scorer Landers Nolley II is expected to test the NBA draft waters but will likely return unless he receives enough positive feedback. Versatile starting forward Deandre Williams is also anticipated to at least consider turning pro.
What about those coming in?
Memphis has at least two scholarships available for the 2021-22 season, when factoring in Warren's commitment. That number could
change depending on other transfers, players who turn pro and whether Jayden Hardaway is on scholarship next season.
A high priority will be placed on the guard position because three of the four Tigers to enter the transfer portal this week occupied that spot.
Sources tell The Commercial Appeal the coaching staff is diligently mining through the transfer portal. With more than 1,100 players available as of Friday, Hardaway and his assistants are confident about the direction they're headed.
How we got here
On Wednesday, three days after Memphis won the NIT championship, Hardaway and his staff, minus new South Carolina State coach Tony Madlock, conducted standard end-of-theseason exit interviews with each player individually.
Within hours, guards Boogie Ellis and Damion Baugh, as well as wing D.J. Jeffries, entered the transfer portal. Most within the program anticipated some turnover – whether it was a player's desire for more minutes or the team's realization a player was a poor fit.
Where does that leave the Tigers? The recent departures of those four players and the mid-season transfers of Lance Thomas and Ahmad Rand mean Memphis has seven players on its roster enrolled in school. Three more (2021 signees Josh Minott, John Camden and Sam Ayomide Onu) are expected to join them after spring semester.