Memphis picked up another high school commitment on Wednesday by adding Briarcrest shooting guard Parker Pounds. The 6-foot-5 guard announced his commitment to Penny Hardaway nearly a week after his teammate Fred Smith Jr. committed to the Tigers last Friday.
Pounds originally committed to Air Force on September 29 after taking a visit in August, but he flipped his commitment after the Falcons fired head coach Joe Scott following a 3-29 season and an investigation into the treatment of cadet-athletes.
Pounds played a massive role as a shooter on the Briarcrest team that won the TSSAA DII AA state Championship. According to The Memphian’s John Varlas, Pounds shot 48.4 percent from deep during his senior season and 55 percent from the field, averaging just under 12 points per contest.
The guard played for P7 Elite on the AAU circuit, and he averaged 17.4 points per game and shot 51 percent from three-point range during the UAA Finals.
Pounds has the ability to knock down shots as a catch-and-shoot threat or off the dribble, and his length gives him the ability to be a factor driving to the basket. His athleticism and length should also give him an advantage defensively, and he could be a plus defender on the perimeter.
It’s unclear what type of role Pounds will play for the Tigers, especially early. The guard has been under-recruited throughout high school, but that doesn’t mean he won’t play a role as a freshman.
After ranking No. 304 in the country in three-point shooting last year, it’s clear that Hardaway and his staff are targeting shooters this offseason. After adding Rihards Vavers on Tuesday, Pounds gives the Tigers another shooter who shot over 40 percent from deep last season.
While Hardaway has limited playing time for freshmen in recent years, he has also shown that he will play whoever executes their role the best. If Pounds shows he can knock down shots at the next level and be sufficient defensively, he could see playing time during his first season.
Pounds is the third high school recruit to commit to Memphis, and he joins Smith and Cello Jackson, giving the Tigers their most high school commits since 2023. Memphis has the No. 44 recruiting class in the country and the No. 26 transfer class, according to 247Sports.
Hardaway now has seven players committed for next season’s team, which means he has eight spots remaining if he chooses to fill all 15 spots.