Jason MunzMemphis Commercial Appeal
Penny Hardaway, after slowing things down during the NCAA-mandated recruiting dead period, got right back to business last week.
The seventh-year Memphis basketball coach brought a number of prospective transfers in for official visits, so far scoring one commitment in Wichita State sharpshooter Colby Rogers. The 6-4 Covington, Georgia., native joins another reconstructed Tigers roster that is gradually taking shape. Hardaway has also welcomed transfers PJ Haggerty (6-3 guard) and Dain Dainja (6-10 center). He also has incoming 4-star freshman guard Jared Harris set to arrive this summer.
Besides Rogers, Memphis hosted North Texas wing Aaron Scott (6-7), and it is expected to bring in Sam Houston State guard Davon Barnes (a former Collierville standout), FIU point guard Arturo Dean and North Texas guard John Buggs III for visits this week.
So, what does this flurry of activity over the past couple of weeks indicate about Hardaway's plans for the 2024-25 season?
Penny Hardaway wants more shooters
Since Hardaway became coach in 2018, the Tigers have never finished in the top 50 in the nation in 3-point shooting.
Memphis' best season beyond the arc was 2020-21, when it made 36.3% of its 3-point attempts and ranked 58th in Division I. The team's long range percentage has gone down every season since, culminating in a 35% success rate last season.
Bringing in Rogers is a major sign that Hardaway is emphasizing 3-point shooting. Before shooting 40.9% from deep at Wichita State (25th in the country) and making 99 triples (17th in the nation), Rogers had the seventh-best 3-point field goal percentage (42.9%) in Division I at Siena in 2021-22.
Scott, while primarily known as a top-notch defender, also brings high-level shooting to the table. He shot 37% from the line last season (44-of-119). As a sophom*ore, while he was considerably less active beyond the arc (only 47 attempts), Scott hit on 40.4%.
Barnes, in his only season at Sam Houston State, shot 39.1% from 3-point range (59-of-151). Buggs, in his only season at North Texas, hit 45.1% of his 3-point tries (60-of-133).
Memphis basketball ramping up on defense
Hardaway made it known multiple times how disappointed he was in the Tigers' defense last season.
In response to one question after Memphis' season ended at the AAC tournament in March, Hardaway mentioned defense 10 times.
"My teams have always been built on defense. I didn’t have a defensive team this year," he said. "Guys played hard, but we didn’t have the defensive – the guys that we’ve had. So, that’s what it boils down to. Memphis basketball is about defense and rebounding and blocked shots. The whole nine. We’ve used our defense to be our offense. I veered away from that this year to get talent. And they were talented guys. Very talented. But you get a major injury to Caleb Mills, I mean, that hurts you. It’s devastating. We’re trying to regroup from that. And every game becomes to be about offense instead of defense.
"That’s not Memphis basketball. I take that on myself. It just has to be – I’m a defensive-minded coach. That’s what I believe in: Your defense starts your offense. That’s what we’ve had for five years until this year. This is my best offensive team I’ve had. But the defensive side of the ball wasn’t really what I wanted. I like to switch up defenses, pressure the ball more. What the fans are used to seeing, didn’t get a chance to do that this year."
Scott brings a like-minded approach to the game, concentrating heavily on defense. He blocked 45 shots and finished with 38 steals at North Texas last season.
COLBY ROGERS: Memphis basketball gets transfer Colby Rogers, one of top 3-point shooters in the nation
Likewise, Dean is a prototypical disruptor on defense, finishing with 106 steals as a sophom*ore at FIU − the most in the country last season.
Tigers prioritizing fit
Hardaway said it himself: He put accumulating "talent" above putting together a roster of players that fit well together. Doing so created overlap in some areas and led to shortcomings in other areas. It also caused confusion among the players, which led to some internal strife.
By locking in Haggerty, Dainja and Rogers, Memphis has in place a scorer, a rim protector and a shooter. Rogers' ability to space the floor with his 3-point prowess, in theory, plays right into perhaps Haggerty's greatest strength (dribble penetration). Those two things together should also help create more opportunities for Dainja to score.
If the Tigers add Scott or Dean, their strengths as defensive menaces bring back that fast-break dimension the team didn't have enough of last season. It also would help take some pressure off leading scorer David Jones − in the event he elects to return.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.comorfollow him@munzlyon X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
