Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway gives Jordan Brown update ahead of Texas A&M game
Memphis basketball center Jordan Brown has not rejoined the team, coach Penny Hardaway said Friday.
The Tigers (6-2) are preparing for a big non-conference game against No. 19 Texas A&M Sunday (3 p.m., ESPN2), and they may not have their 6-foot-11 big man. Brown missed this week's win at VCU with an illness, Hardaway said. He did not travel with the team to Richmond, Virginia, for that game and was not at practice Friday.
"JB’s still sick, man," Hardaway said. "I’m gonna knock on the door today. For real, he’s been ill. And I don’t really know. A lot of guys got ill after the Bahamas. He didn’t.
"And then now it’s like, this is crazy. When guys are missing games or not coming to practice, it’s something that could be passed around or really ill. So, we’ll just have to, you know, get more in detail about that today."
Brown has struggled this season after transferring from Louisiana where he was the Lou Henson Award winner and made All-Sun Belt first team. In seven games, he's averaging 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds. Brown's production and playing time have decreased. He has not scored more than five points in his past four games and has not been on the floor for more than 12 minutes during the same span.
Hardaway had hoped Brown would be back with the team by now, but he has not given up hope that he will make the trip to Texas A&M (7-2).
"I’m hoping that he shows up tomorrow," Hardaway said. "That will mean he’s been out for maybe four or five days. He needs to get his legs under him before we go into a very hostile environment."
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Hardaway added he would put Brown in the game if he is able to go.
"I would play him, yeah. It depends on how weak he is," he said. "You know, how he looks. Probably be a little winded. But doesn’t have to be long spurts."
Hardaway also said the Tigers' leading scorer and rebounder David Jones did not practice Friday, but it was simply a precautionary measure. Jones left the win against VCU briefly in the second half after tweaking his left ankle.
Hardaway said he expects Jones to play Sunday.
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: Jordan Brown: Penny Hardaway gives update for Memphis-Texas A&M
