Memphis basketball adds former Lane guard Ragi Phillips

Penny Hardaway is welcoming another Memphian to his 2024-25 roster.

Ragi Phillips—son of Memphis basketball staffer Faragi Phillips—will be a Tiger this season, he announced on Instagram Friday afternoon. The 6-foot-1 guard is expected to join Memphis as a walk-on, a source tells Bluff City Media. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Phillips, who began his collegiate career at Christian Brothers, spent last season at Lane College under Tigers legend Andre Turner. Turner joined Memphis’ staff earlier this offseason.

Phillips also played under his father at Whitehaven High, where he helped the Whitehaven Tigers to a 23-win campaign in his senior season. He becomes Memphis’ third walk-on, joining Noah Stansbury and Damarien Yates.

Hardaway’s club—currently the No. 26 team on barttorvik.com—has added eight scholarship players via the transfer portal this offseason.

PJ Haggerty (6-foot-3) averaged 21.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for Tulsa last year, which helped him earn the AAC Freshman of the Year award.

Tyrese Hunter (6-foot) averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 assists for Texas in 2023-24. He also won the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award at Iowa State in 2021-22, and is 6-3 in NCAA Tournament games.

Colby Rogers (6-foot-4) scored 16.4 points per contest while shooting 40.9% from 3-point range (7.1 attempts per game) for Wichita State. PJ Carter (6-foot-5) averaged 9.5 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 41.5% from the field and 40.3% from 3-point range in 31 appearances for UTSA.

Moussa Cisse (7-foot) and Tyreek Smith (6-foot-8) averaged a combined 3.1 blocks per game last year for Ole Miss and SMU respectively. Dain Dainja (6-foot-9) averaged 6.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in limited minutes for an Illinois team that made the Elite Eight last season.

Nick Jourdain (6-foot-9) started 25 of 32 games for the Tigers in 2023-24, and put up 6.5 points and 4 rebounds per contest. He is Memphis’ only returning scholarship player.

The Tigers, who still have two open scholarships remaining, also welcome George Mason transfer guard Baraka Okojie and freshman guards Jared Harris and Daniel Vieira-Tuck.