Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway lands SMU transfer Tyreek Smith

Memphis basketball secured a commitment from SMU forward Tyreek Smith late Thursday.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound veteran is the sixth transfer portal addition Penny Hardaway has made this offseason. He joins guards Tyrese Hunter, PJ Haggerty, Colby Rogers and Baraka Okojie, as well as big man Dain Dainja. The Tigers have also signed incoming freshman guard Jared Harris.

The future of David Jones, the team’s leading scorer last season and an all-AAC first team performer, remains undecided. He has declared for the NBA Draft while also maintaining his collegiate eligibility. The deadline to withdraw from draft consideration and return to college is May 29. Forward Nicholas Jourdain is expected to return for the 2024-25 season.

Hardaway and Co. got an up-close-and-personal look at Smith last season, and his toughness and energy were on full display. In two games (one win, one loss), he averaged 11 points (on 64.2% shooting), five rebounds, two blocks and two steals against the Tigers.

Smith’s career began at Texas Tech, where he played one season and redshirted another. The Baton Rouge, La., native spent the next two seasons at Oklahoma State, where he played 36 games during the 2022-23 season, averaging 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks.

The move to SMU ahead of last season suited Smith, as his numbers improved (8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game). His blocked shot average was third-best in the AAC. Smith’s 58.4% field goal percentage ranked fifth in the league.

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Memphis currently has five available scholarships as Hardaway continues to rebuild a roster left depleted by expired eligibility and transfer departures.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway lands SMU transfer Tyreek Smith