Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is bringing point guard Curtis Givens III home.
The LSU transfer − a former top-50 recruit, who was born and raised in the Bluff City − announced his commitment to the Tigers on May 20.
“Back to the basics,” Givens wrote on Instagram.
Hardaway came close to winning the sweepstakes for Givens in 2023. Prior to his senior season at Montverde Academy (where he was teammates with Cooper Flagg and Liam McNeeley, among others), the former Memphis University School star surprised some by signing with LSU over his hometown program.
Givens joins a Memphis team that has undergone another major overhaul. He is the 12th addition to the Tigers’ roster since the 2024-25 season ended in March, and he is joining a crowded backcourt. Givens is the eighth guard to make the move to Memphis this offseason. The others are Dug McDaniel, Sincere Parker, Zachary Davis, Quante Berry, Daniel Vieira-Tuck, Felipe Patino and fellow Memphian Julius Thedford.
Point guard Dante Harris, who played 16 games for the Tigers in 2024-25, may return − although, neither he nor Hardaway have publicly given any indication whether he will or not.
Memphis has also signed wings Hasan Abdul-Hakim, Mason Matthews and Ashton Hardaway, along with big man Aaron Bradshaw. That leaves Memphis with at least one open scholarship, although the college basketball scholarship limit is expected to increase (to 15) once the House v. NCAA settlement is officially approved − leaving the Tigers with at least three open scholarships.
All-American guard PJ Haggerty’s future is still unclear, while all-conference big man Dain Dainja has applied for one more season of eligibility.
What Curtis Givens III brings to Memphis basketball
Givens struggled at LSU as a true freshman.
He played 32 games (making 12 starts) and averaged only 4.8 points on 26.9% shooting (24.6% beyond the arc). He shot just 59.1% at the free-throw line.
While he limited turnovers (just 36 total in 18.1 minutes a game), Givens also put up just 1.6 assists per game − fewer than his 1.7 rebounding average.
Givens brings an added element of hometown pride back to the program − one that was largely missing in 2024-25. He and Thedford were both born and raised in Memphis. Last season, there were no native Memphians on the active roster. In addition to Hardaway, the coaching staff features numerous Bluff City connections, including Andre Turner, Jermaine Johnson and Dwight Boyd.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.
