Inside Curtis Givens III's official visit with Memphis Tigers basketball and what's next
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway “rolled out the blue carpet from start to finish” for Curtis Givens III during the weekend, according to the point guard’s father, Curtis Givens II.
Givens, born and raised in Memphis, is a four-star prospect ranked No. 59 by 247 Sports Composite in the Class of 2024. He arrived late Thursday in his hometown for an official visit with the Tigers. The 6-foot-2 Montverde Academy (Florida) point guard was greeted at Memphis International Airport by family and friends, then personally picked up by Hardaway in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Hardaway’s pitch to Givens was simple.
“(Hardaway) said he wants Curtis, and (he said) he needs Curtis,” Givens’ father told The Commercial Appeal Sunday afternoon.
But Hardaway — a close personal friend of the elder Givens for about 30 years — also has been clear throughout the recruiting process that he wants to keep his relationships with the family out of the equation.
“Penny’s not using his personal relationship with me as leverage to get Curtis,” Givens’ father said. “He could if he wanted to. But he’s treating it as what it is — a recruitment. And that’s a relief. It makes you have that much more respect for him.”
Hardaway even took it a step further.
“He told Curtis, if he chooses to go somewhere else, he’ll still support him. That means a lot. And that says a lot, because no other coach has said that,” the elder Givens said.
Much of the visit was chronicled on social media by Givens' father, a noted event impresario, club owner and entertainment entrepreneur in Memphis.
The 18-year-old Givens — who sometimes goes by “CG3” — had breakfast Friday with Hardaway and his coaching staff, then attended the Tigers’ workout and toured the Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center. His father posted an Instagram story Saturday morning of himself with his three sons: Curtis, Chase, 15, and Cruz, 9.
“Always a good feeling when I’ve got all three of my boys together,” the father said in the video. “Best feeling in the world.”
While the Memphis recruit was born and raised in the Bluff City, he left his hometown after his sophomore season at Memphis University School to attend Montverde, a national high school basketball powerhouse.
“So, yeah, I was in heaven,” the father said.
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Later Saturday, Givens and his family were back at the program’s practice facility to pose for photos in Tigers garb. They also met with an academic adviser, toured housing options, were introduced to some current players and met with strength and conditioning coach Darby Rich. Givens met with Hardaway again on Sunday before traveling back to Orlando.
On Sunday, the younger Givens posted photos from his visit on Instagram with the caption: "Hometown Hero??? #gtg #notcommitted"
The Memphis trip was the last of Givens’ official visits. He also visited Texas, Indiana, Georgia Tech and LSU. Givens’ father said his son has narrowed his focus to just Texas, LSU and Memphis. Although he declined to get into specifics, he said his son plans to announce his school of choice “before the end of the year.”
And it doesn’t matter to him where his son goes.
“Whatever he chooses, I’m 1000% behind him,” Givens’ father said. “What would make me happy is him being happy. Whatever he chooses, we’re dialed in all the way.”
The Tigers have one 2024 class commitment in four-star Silsbee (Texas) shooting guard Jared Harris.
Hardaway is hosting another four-star recruit beginning Friday: Camden (New Jersey) forward Billy Richmond III, who originally is from Memphis.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Inside Curtis Givens III's visit with Memphis Tigers basketball
