The transfer portal has been open for over a week, and the Tigers’ roster is starting to take shape. After picking up a commitment from Jerry Deng on Thursday, Memphis currently has eight players committed for next season, leaving seven roster spots available if it intends to fill them all.
Penny Hardaway has recently shown that he isn’t opposed to going into the season with fewer than 15 players on the roster, and he has kept spots open for preseason and midseason additions in recent years.
Memphis has targeted a lot of guards and wings throughout the transfer portal process, and it’ll be interesting to see what type of big men the team shows interest in. Aaron Bradshaw still hasn’t made a decision on his future, and it’s worth wondering if the Tigers haven’t been as involved in big men because of Bradshaw’s uncertainty.
Here’s a look at where the roster stands right now with the recent additions. Memphis has eight players committed with seven spots remaining.
RETURNING:
G Julius Thedford
Thedford will look to have a much larger role during his junior season. The guard averaged 8.4 points, five rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a sophomore.
F William Whorton
Whorton saw limited action during his first season at Memphis, only appearing in 19 games. He finished the year averaging 1.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game.
TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS:
F Rihards Vavers
Vavers spent the last two seasons at Washington State, where he shot over 40 percent from deep both years. The 6-foot-7 forward will give the Tigers length and a consistent three-point shooting option.
G Brandin Cummings
Cummings spent the last two years at Pittsburgh, and he averaged 12.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds as a sophomore. The guard was off to a nice start to his second collegiate season before he was forced to miss the final 14 games with an ankle injury.
F Jerry Deng
Memphis will be Deng’s fourth school in four years, but he’s looking for a larger role in his redshirt junior campaign. After playing a big role as a freshman for Hampton, Deng served as a role player the last two years and averaged 6.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in eight games for NC State last season.
INCOMING FRESHMEN:
F Cello Jackson
Jackson was Memphis’ first commitment in the class of 2026. The three-star prospect, who is from Cordova, spent his final high school season at Columbus High School in Miami, and it will be interesting to see how he is used during his freshman season.
F Frank Smith Jr.
Smith was a high priority for the Tigers, and the four-star recruit committed to Memphis on April 9. Smith has put together one of the most successful high school careers locally in recent history, and there will be calls for him to see playing time early next year.
G Parker Pounds
Pounds committed to the Tigers on April 15, and it seems like he will be more of a developmental piece. Pounds shot over 40 percent from deep in his high school career, and he could see early playing time if he shows a consistency to knock down shots.
UNDECIDED:
C Aaron Bradshaw
With only a few days before the transfer portal deadline, Bradshaw still hasn’t made a decision on his future. If Bradshaw returns, it would give Memphis another key piece returning from last year’s roster, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers bring in a center before the big man makes his decision.
OUT OF ELIGIBILITY:
G Dug McDaniel
G Zach Davis
F Mason Matthews
F Tariq Ingraham
G Sincere Parker
C Thierno Sylla
TRANSFER PORTAL:
G Quante Berry
F Ashton Hardaway
F Arop Arop
G Curtis Givens III
C Simon Majok (Nevada)