MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ahead of the 2024-25 season, the Memphis men's basketball team held their annual pro day in front of several NBA scouts on Thursday at the Laurie-Walton Basketball Center.
It marked the first time time we've seen this year's new-look Tiger team in action since they all met on campus this Summer and started workouts.
Head coach Penny Hardaway described this team as both tough and together.
“They’re willing to learn they’re willing to do whatever they need to do, they don’t have any egos," Hardaway said. "This team is really close knit, they hang together off the court, they’re always together.”
Nicholas Jourdain, the only returning member from last year's 22-10 team that went from being in the top 10 in the country in January to not making the NCAA Tournament, echoed those sentiments and said this team is more together than last season.
"The vibes are better," Jourdain said. "At practice, the energy is just always high everyone is just coming in and bringing the energy.”
Jourdain also said everyone is willing to take constructive criticism, something he said last year's team lacked at times.
In a 5-on-5, the forward lined up on the white team with PJ Haggerty, Tyrese Hunter, Colby Rogers and Dain Dainja - the starters.
“That’s the way I see it now," Hardaway said. "It doesn’t mean it couldn’t change before North Carolina but I wanted to see that lineup.”
That lineup fell 42-20 in overtime to reserves led by freshman Jared Harris.
“They’re still trying to adjust to one another, trying not to do too much, that’ll come the more they play together," Hardaway said.
This season will be Hardaway's 7th at the helm of the Tigers and potentially his most pivotal.
“There’s a lot that I've learned over those first six years," Hardaway said. "On personnel, on coaching, on understanding how to put out fires earlier, it takes a group though and me and the rest of the coaches in the building need to be rowing the boat in the same direction.”
This year Hardaway and company are trying to row the boat first towards a regular season conference title.
“We’ve had teams with the talent, but we just haven’t been able to get over the hump in that area so that’s what I’m looking the most forward to," Hardaway said.
In order for that to happen Hardaway knows he'll need a mostly healthy team. At Pro Day, Hunter tweaked his hamstring but continued to play, Moussa Cisse has an ongoing groin injury, Tyreek Smith has a hand injury and Baraka Okojie still isn't back in full contact practice after surgery this offseason.
As for the roster and staff, Hardaway said they are thinking about adding one more player and hiring someone else is "up in the air" but not out of question.
Both the men and women will be in action at the Blue and Gray showcase at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse at 6 p.m. CT on Friday. Before they both host the Hoops for St. Jude tipoff classic on Oct. 15 at FedexForum.