Walk-on guard Joe Cooper leaves Memphis basketball

A fan favorite from last season is gone.

Sources confirm to Bluff City Media that walk-on guard Joe Cooper has left Memphis basketball. The news doesn’t come as a huge surprise, since head coach Penny Hardaway has reloaded his backcourt this offseason and Cooper has been widely expected to transfer for months. The Tigers have added guards PJ Haggerty (Tulsa), Colby Rogers (Wichita State), Tyrese Hunter (Texas) and Baraka Okojie (George Mason) via the transfer portal in the past two months.

The 6-foot-1 Memphis native joined Hardaway’s club last offseason, but wasn’t eligible to play until January because of academic issues. He provided a late spark to a struggling Memphis team late in the season, recording 8 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and 3 steals in six games.

”I don’t look at myself as a walk-on, to be honest…I know I’m talented,” Cooper said in February.

Memphis has also added to its frontcourt with forwards Dain Dainja (Illinois), Tyreek Smith (SMU) and a returning Moussa Cisse (Ole Miss). Freshman guards Jared Harris and Daniel Vieira-Tuck will also join the program next season. Forward Nick Jourdain is Memphis’ only returning scholarship player.

Memphis, which has three open scholarships remaining, is reportedly hosting St. John’s transfer Glenn Taylor Jr. for a visit this week. The 6-foot-6 forward recently re-entered the portal after decommitting from Grand Canyon.