What PJ Haggerty brings to Memphis basketball for coach Penny Hardaway

Memphis basketball got on the transfer portal board for the first time Thursday, landing AAC Freshman of the Year PJ Haggerty.

Currently rated the second-best available transfer by On3.com, Haggerty instantly provides a jolt of energy to an offseason that began on a sour note given the way the Tigers finished the 2023-24 season.

Haggerty (6-foot-3) will likely line up at both point guard and shooting guard for Memphis and almost certainly will be the headliner of another robust crop of newcomers. The Crosby, Texas, native averaged 21.2 points per game at Tulsa last season, which was the 15th-best clip in Division I. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a redshirt freshman with the Golden Hurricane. Haggerty played six games and took a redshirt at TCU in 2022-23.

Here is a closer look at what Haggerty brings to the table for the Tigers.

PJ Haggerty is a bucket-getter at all 3 levels

Haggerty, above all else, is a scorer.

And it dates back to his days in high school at Crosby (Texas). Despite being rated a 3-star prospect (by 247 Sports), Haggerty scored 28 points per game as a senior on 49% shooting.

But Haggerty blossomed at Tulsa in 2023-24. Following a redshirt season at TCU, he made the move to play for coach Eric Konkol. He averaged 21.2 points per game, which was tops among all freshmen in Division I − nearly 4 points per game better than the next-highest mark by a freshman (Notre Dame's Markus Burton).

Haggerty did the bulk of his damage inside the 3-point line, as 88.9% of his made field goals came inside the arc. He connected on 53.4% on 2-point field goal attempts.

If Haggerty had a weakness on offense at Tulsa, it was his 3-point shooting, where he was 22-of-76 (28.9%). But he improved as the season went along. In AAC play, Haggerty shot 32% from deep and in the last 15 games of the season, he shot 37.8% (14-of-37).

Crosby coach Edwin Egans said Haggerty was a skilled 3-point shooter throughout his high school career, especially early, when he was still a little slight of frame. Once he began bulking up, Egans said Haggerty unlocked a new dimension of his game and took advantage of his ability to drive to the hoop.

But his shooting ability is still there, according to Egans.

"He did have somewhat of a little hand injury last year, either a wrist or a finger," he said. "He will shoot it more (next season)."

Difficult to defend

Another mark of a true offensive force is a player's ability to score (even if their shot isn't falling) by getting to the free throw line.

Former Memphis All-American point guard Kendric Davis was elite in that area during his one season under Hardaway. He was fifth in the nation with 6.6 made free throws per game.

Last season, David Jones finished with 5.4 made free throws per game, good enough for 31st in the country.

Haggerty, meanwhile, was second among all Division I players with 7.6 made free throws per game. That mark was second only to Purdue big man and national player of the year candidate Zach Edey (8.1 per game).

“I want to say he averaged about 33 points a game his junior year,” said Egans. “There were times at the end of a game, I thought he had 25 points. Then, I look up, and he’s got 35 or 38. Just so many free throws, which obviously adds up.”

PJ HAGGERTY: Memphis basketball, Penny Hardaway land Tulsa star PJ Haggerty, one of top transfers available

PJ Haggerty's intangibles

Haggerty garnered a lot of attention for what he did at Tulsa as a scorer. He owes a lot of his success to his natural ability.

But there is more to it than that, according to Egans and Crosby assistant coach LeRon Barnes (who played for Kelvin Sampson at Houston).

“He’s always had that killer instinct,” Barnes said. “He’s very, very quiet, laid back. But you wouldn’t be able to tell when he’s on the court.”

Dedication is also not something anyone has to worry about when it comes to Haggerty.

“Believe it or not, he’s very low maintenance,” Egans said. “He’s not into all the glamor. He’s not posting a lot on social media. Basketball is very important to him. He takes pride in his craft. He’s a worker.”

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: What the addition of PJ Haggerty means