Memphis guard Damaria Franklin is (finally) cleared to play

Tigers fans can finally rejoice! UIC transfer Damaria Franklin has finally been cleared to play for Penny Hardaway. As everyone knows there has been an ongoing waiver issue, but the fifth-year senior is ready to go.

After a solid junior season at Tennessee Tech, Franklin transferred to Illinois-Chicago and averaged 17.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-3 guard was a highly sought after transfer, and he chose to continue his career in the Bluff City. Since he arrived on campus, Hardaway has raved about Franklin.

“Damaria Franklin is special,” Hardaway said before the start of the regular season. “Defensively, he’s as good as A-Lo, and he knocks down shots at a high clip. He makes us a totally different team.”

Memphis is 8-2 on the season and coming off of a huge win over Auburn, so it will be very interesting to see what the team looks like with Franklin’s addition. Kendric Davis, Alex Lomax and DeAndre Williams have been the Tigers best three players this season, and Franklin has the ability to make the team better on both ends of the floor.

Going into a massive matchup against No. 4 Alabama, the addition of a player of Franklin’s caliber is huge for Hardaway and the Tigers.