The Penny Hardaway era at the University of Memphis is at an inflection point. The Tigers’ top priority in the Class of 2020 is announcing soon, and the third-year coach has to replace his highest-paid assistant coach in Mike Miller. Those two decisions may well shape the rest of Hardaway’s time at the school. So there’s no better time than now to take questions about those very topics.
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Latest on Moussa Cisse? — Blake
From this mailbag to Moussa’s ears. He tweeted “next week” on Tuesday afternoon, and most people I spoke to took that to mean the 6-10 big man will be announcing his college decision then. Not much has changed on the Cisse front since we wrote about him last week. Memphis believes it has done just about everything it can to land the center and, as one source described, “feels good.” LSU has been cautiously optimistic. Florida State lurks.
The implications for Hardaway are massive. Cisse has spent the last nine months in Memphis and attended several Tiger home games. He was priority No. 1 for Hardaway in the Class of 2021 (before he reclassified), and the center position also happens to be the most pressing need on next season’s roster. To lose the Lausanne graduate to a school he hasn’t even visited would be a heavy blow for Memphis. On the flip side, the addition of Cisse would catapult Memphis to a possible preseason Top 25 ranking and give the program a favorable chance of making its first NCAA Tournament since 2013-14.
Any insight to a Mike Miller replacement? Besides the Antonio Anderson interview and some smoke about Trey Draper, I’ve heard nothing. — Richard L.
Hardaway has been conducting interviews for the last several weeks, including with former Tiger Antonio Anderson, as we first reported. That list has included former college head coaches as well. He told one candidate last week that he would take his time with the hire. One source inside the program also told me that Hardaway is trying to find the best recruiter. That’s the quality he’s looking for most.
With the loss of Mike Miller, how will the Tigers approach recruiting J.D. Davison? — Justin S.
Hardaway spoke with Davison’s older brother as recently as two weeks ago, according to my sources. So it seems as though the Tigers will continue recruiting the five-star point guard from Letohatchee, Ala. Here’s what I’ll say: I’m less sure of how successful they will be. As it relates to those efforts, Miller’s departure was not exactly a positive development.
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Any news on when we could expect a ruling from the IARP? If not, is there an expectation that there would at least be a status update regarding if/when the five-member IARP has at least met or had members assigned? — Paul
The simple answer: no. Nobody knows what to expect. Or, if they do, they’re not saying anything. The last Memphis-related announcement was made on March 4:
“A request for referral of the infractions case involving the University of Memphis to the Independent Accountability Resolution Process was granted by the Infractions Referral Committee. Consistent with rules and procedures governing the process, details about the matter will remain confidential until the Independent Resolution Panel releases its decision.”
The wait, and not knowing, is the most agonizing piece of it. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly didn’t expedite matters either: The IARP had suspended hearings and oral arguments through May 31. On its website, the IARP says: “Due to public health concerns and the unique circ*mstances related to the COVID-19 crisis, leaders from the Committees on Infractions, the Infractions Appeals Committees and the Independent Resolution Panel have determined that hearings and oral arguments will resume and be conducted virtually, when possible.”
This could mean Memphis’ case is resolved sooner than later. Or it could not. Since Memphis is the IARP’s first case, there’s no precedent on which to rely.
If Landers Nolley is forced to sit out next season, do you think he’ll ever play in a game for Memphis? — Paul
I can’t see it. He has already sat out one season as an academic casualty in 2018-19. If the NCAA doesn’t grant him a waiver, will he really sit out again? Nolley declared for the NBA Draft in April before changing his mind later the same day. So it clearly has been on his mind. The 6-7 wing is on campus and, according to his father, is excited to play for Hardaway. But if he isn’t eligible immediately, it’s hard to imagine him sticking it out in lieu of going pro, especially now that the deadline to declare for the NBA Draft has been pushed back to August. If the NCAA rejects Nolley’s waiver request, my expectation is he’d leave the program in short order to prepare for the draft.
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In your opinion what is the starting lineup with the two transfers? What is the starting lineup without the two? — Patrick M.
So, using the roster as of today, here’s my Walgreens-on-every-corner lineup:
PG: Boogie Ellis
SG: Landers Nolley II
SF: D.J. Jeffries
PF: DeAndre Williams
C: Malcolm Dandridge
Lester Quinones, one of the leading minute-getters from this season’s team, is the sixth man, but he’ll end up playing starter’s minutes.
Bear in mind, I believe Memphis will get a waiver for Williams, the forward from Evansville. But that wasn’t what you asked. My no-transfer lineup would be as follows:
PG: Boogie Ellis
SG: Lester Quinones
SF: D.J. Jeffries
PF: Ahmad Rand
C: Malcolm Dandridge
With or without the transfers, there’s a clear theme to me about the roster next season. The success largely depends on three players: Ellis, Quinones and Jeffries. If those three sophom*ores take a significant developmental step — and they should — Memphis will have a chance to win the American Athletic Conference.
(Photo of Moussa Cisse: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire via Getty)
