Talented transfer felt a Hardaway connection
Earl Timberlake isn't very far removed from life as a top-35 high school basketball recruit.
Not even three years ago, the former four-star prospect found himself sifting through dozens of offers – including Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio State, Maryland and West Virginia – before ultimately settling on Miami. So, when the 6-foot-6 two-way wing entered the transfer portal, he knew what to expect.
More than 25 programs came calling for Timberlake, who was recently rated by The Athletic as the 10th-best player (college transfer or uncommitted high school star) for teams looking to make additions to their roster.
“That helped a lot,” he told The Commercial Appeal of his recruiting experience in high school. “It helped me see through everything. I can tell who's real and who's fake. Who's genuine and who's not.”
Timberlake said it didn't take him long to establish a connection with Penny Hardaway. The Memphis coach first contacted Timberlake, who officially became available on March 14, about a week later. By the end of the initial conversation, Timberlake was as good as sold. On Thursday, he announced his plan to join the Tigers, who are revamp
ing their roster on the heels of a rash of transfers.
“He started out by introducing himself, which he didn't have to do. He's one of my favorite players of all-time. But we talked about a lot of stuff and I just got to know him a lot,” said Timberlake, adding he and Hardaway have talked at least once a day every day since. “The more and more I talked to him, the more I felt like, ‘He can relate to me on a lot of things.' We kind of grew up in some of the same ways and he's done what I want to do, which is play professional basketball.
“He's real personable and I realized real quick that I can learn a lot from him. It was a no-brainer.”
Timberlake is the second player Memphis has plucked from the transfer portal, joining former Hampton guard Davion Warren, who led the Big South with 21.2 points per game last season. The Tigers, coming off an NIT championship, are also welcoming three high school signees (wings Josh Minott and John Camden, along with center Sam Ayomide Onu).
Hardaway has one open scholarship, but that number will likely increase. Moussa Cisse announced Tuesday that he is testing the NBA Draft waters. Since he does not plan to sign with an agent, Cisse could return for his second season at Memphis, but he is not expected to be back. Guard Landers Nolley II is also a candidate for the NBA Draft.
A projected one-and-done player, Timberlake was limited to only seven games as a freshman at Miami, averaging 9.3 points, 5 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game.
When healthy, he is a strong wing who can create his own shot, score at the rim, rebound at both ends and defend at a high level – all things Hardaway highly covets.
“He likes my versatility,” Timberlake said. “I can guard one through four. I can play on or off the ball. I can score. I'm not just one-dimensional. Defense, that's one of the main things I'm pretty much known for, and I take pride in that. (Memphis) preaching that will help me get even better.”
Mike Jones, who was Timberlake's high school coach at Dematha Catholic in Maryland, views Memphis as a great fit for his former standout guard.
“I love it. I'm looking forward to watching it,” said Jones, who coached alongside Hardaway at the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team October minicamp in 2017. “I think Earl definitely has the tools and the proper mentality to be able to thrive in Penny's system.”
At Dematha, which has produced more than a dozen NBA players, including Markelle Fultz, Victor Oladipo and Quinn Cook, Timberlake averaged 16.5 points and 10 rebounds a game as a senior during the 2019-20 season.
“(But) his passion and determination are definitely qualities that not every player has,” Jones said. “He's a leader. He's not a big talker, but his intensity is contagious. He knows how to defend. He's smart. Being capable doesn't matter sometimes if you're not smart. Like, for us, he was very rarely in foul trouble. He knew how to avoid those type situations.”
As much as he provided Dematha on the court, Jones said, Timberlake's impact off the court was special.
“Earl is one of those guys that literally has all the young guys looking up to him,” said Jones. “He's literally the Pied Piper without trying to be. Rich kids look up to him. Poor kids look up to him. Middle class kids, white kids, Black kids – they all look up to Earl. And it's not from anything other than he plays the right way.”
Timberlake, who made three starts for Miami, last played a game on Jan. 19. He said a “misunderstanding” in the weight room led to his left shoulder injury, adding it's not expected to require surgery.
“I'm going back home and starting my rehab Monday,” Timberlake said. “If everything goes well and God blesses me, I'm hoping the rehab lasts for about six weeks and I can be back to normal. I don't need surgery, nothing like that. I'm just praying to get healthy so I can do what I love to do.”
For Memphis.
“I'm just going to go into the city with an open mind and a kind heart,” Timberlake said. “I'm going to come in from day one and play as hard as I can to help us win.”