Is the 23-24 Tigers basketball roster Penny’s most complete team?

We know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting a different result. Looking back at the past five rosters under Memphis coach Penny Hardaway, of course the players vary on a wide scale. That’s the college basketball world we live in. But there are also substantial differences in the plan for each roster, the depth and type of talent, and the amount of experience.

Penny Hardaway’s first four seasons were not failures. But I’m not saying mistakes weren’t made. As a first-time college basketball coach, mistakes are expected in many facets of the job.

Late game management. Out-of-timeout plays. Player management and accountability. Roster construction. Game planning for opponents. The list of what head coaches need to excel at goes on and on. To expect Penny to be great at each aspect of the job from the start is naive. However, let’s refer back to the definition of insanity.

There’s no doubt Penny reflected on the mistakes of the previous year and tried to correct them the next. Let’s look at how.

1st roster: 2018-2019

Penny was hired on March 19, 2018. This left him with little time to bring in the roster he wanted. However, Jeremiah Martin was incredible. The Tigers made the NIT in Penny’s first year. But this season felt like a stop-gap more than anything. Most top contributors were from the Tubby Smith era, and it would take something special to resurrect a lifeless program.

2nd roster: 2019-2020

Enter Penny’s first no. 1 recruiting class. Elite recruits James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa headlined a loaded class with Boogie Ellis, DJ Jeffries, Lester Quinones, and other talented freshmen. One of the youngest teams in college basketball with a 2nd-year coach wanted all the smoke. And oh, they got it. But they also dealt with off-the-court court issues for James Wiseman that led to him playing only three games. Couple the loss of Wiseman with inexperience rearing its ugly head, and you get a season that left Penny Hardaway with more questions than answers.

3rd roster: 2020-2021

Penny still swung for the fences on the recruiting trail going after several high-profile players. But when the dust settled, Moussa Cisse was the lone 5-star and one of two incoming freshmen. The problems of last season were still on Penny’s mind. He needed someone with experience who could set the tone and lead this young roster by example.

Though this player wasn’t available until the 8th game of the season, DeAndre Williams fit that mold perfectly. This team didn’t have the big names or the ceiling of the year before. But DeAndre proved the importance of having experience on a winning roster. Memphis got its first taste of postseason success under Penny Hardaway winning the NIT. DeAndre Williams was a massive reason why.

4th roster: 2021-2022

As we know, the Tigers played better basketball to close the 2021 season. But a big reason for their struggles was because of Moussa Cisse. No reason to sugarcoat it. He had no hands and lacked physicality and toughness. Entering the following season, Penny still knew the importance of a dominant big man in college basketball. So who was brought in? Jalen Duren.

Even as a reclassified prospect, the no. 5 player in the 2021 class had an NBA-ready body. Jalen played with strength and aggression to go along with his elite athleticism and shot-blocking instincts. His offensive game was more polished as well. As the season went on, he developed his post-game and displayed intriguing flashes of a mid-range shot and effectiveness on the elbow. Penny also brought in the number 1 recruiting class for the 2nd time in 3 seasons because he realized he needed more talent to raise the team’s ceiling. While similar slow-start issues hurt Memphis, the talent finally clicked leading to Penny’s first NCAA Tournament appearance and victory.

5th roster: 2022-2023

If the Jalen Duren signing was a home run, the Emoni Bates experiment was a big swing and miss. To be clear, it was not a mistake to sign Emoni Bates. The mistake was to put him at point guard. Emoni told the Field of 68’s John Goodman that he was brought to Memphis to run the offense and play point guard. While many questioned this decision, Penny devalued the importance of a true, experienced point guard by preaching positionless basketball and point guard by committee. Whoever got the rebound would bring the ball up, and the offense would start from there.

To put it lightly, it didn’t work. But give Penny credit. He realized his mistake and learned he needed more experienced players across the board. Instead of focusing on recruiting talented freshmen, the transfer portal was where Penny set his sights. More importantly, he realized the need for a veteran point guard to lead his offense. Enter the best player in the 2022 transfer portal, 5th-year senior point guard, Kendric Davis.

KD was everything. There’s no telling what the Tigers’ season would be without him. The FAU loss in the NCAA Tournament will sting for a while. But let’s not forget his game-winner against Temple when the season could’ve slipped away, his heroics against Houston at home that could’ve given him player of the year had Memphis been victorious, and his stellar play in the AAC Tournament leading the Tigers to their first AAC Championship. Put KD on the 21-22 team, and I’m confident that season ends with more success. Signing him is the perfect example of Penny Hardaway learning from his past mistakes.

From top to bottom, last year’s team had the highest floor but the lowest ceiling of any team since Penny’s first season. That’s not his end goal though. He wants a team with both. While additions could still be made, Penny finally has a roster with a high floor and ceiling.

As of right now, here’s the Memphis Tigers roster excluding freshmen:

5th year guard, Caleb Mills 5th year guard, Jahvon Quinerly 5th year center, Jordan Brown 5th year wing, Jayden Hardaway 4th year wing, Jaykwon Walton 4th year wing, David Jones 3rd year forward, Nick Jourdain 3rd year forward, Jonathan Pierre

Don’t forget about the top 20 recruiting class either. It’s possible some freshmen impress and raise the team’s ceiling even higher. Add DeAndre Williams, and you get a very talented, versatile, and experienced team that checks every box on paper.

Experienced guards. Versatile and athletic wings/forwards. Dominant interior presence. Inside/out scoring. Inside/out defense. Leadership and a genuine hunger to win an NCAA championship. This team has it all.

Much like every coach in college basketball, Penny Hardaway is looking for the right roster formula that brings the most success. Perhaps, he’s found it with this team.