Why Cordova's KJ Tenner stayed in Memphis for high school basketball rather than go to a prep school

KJ Tenner never wanted to leave Memphis to chase basketball stardom at the high school level. He had the chance to leave for the prep school route that many of the Class of 2024 players have already done.

Curtis Givens III and R’Chaun King departed last summer for Montverde Academy and Link Academy, respectively, last summer. Billy Richmond III, a four-star prospect who's ranked the No. 3 shooting guard in New Jersey, after transferring from Memphis East at the end of last season to Camden. And former Briarcrest guard Jaye Nash announced in May that he was joining Oak Hill Academy for his final high school season.

Not Tenner though.

"I’ve definitely had opportunities to go elsewhere and go to prep schools," Tenner said. "But I decided to stay right here. I’ve always believed in myself and trusted the work I put in. I never once didn’t believe in myself."

Whether he’s on the basketball court or living his life, he’s always going to be himself in everything he does.

“I made a decision when I got to high school,” said Tenner, a 5-foot-10, point guard. “I said I wanted to make staying in Memphis cool again. Everybody thinks you have to leave to get offers and leave to get better opportunities. But I feel like you can stay right here in Memphis and get whatever looks you want to.”

So far, that’s worked out for him.

Since the summer session began, Tenner — who averaged 23.6 points per game at Cordova High School last season — has seen his recruitment gain some traction and more Division I attention.

In recent weeks, Tenner has picked up offers from Arkansas State, Alabama State, Central Michigan, UT Martin, Texas State and Drake. He also already had offers from Kennesaw State and Morehead State. Rice offered him this week.

Tenner transitioned to play for Memphis-based Hoop City Elite when things didn’t work out for him at Team Thad, another Memphis-based AAU team, which plays on the EYBL circuit.

"Coming over to Hoop City, it was a lot of different players. But, our team, we were just dedicated to going in and turning some heads at 3SSB,” Tenner said.

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Ernie Kuyper, the team president for Hoop City Elite, saw Tenner’s talent during the high school basketball season and knew the contribution he’d add to Hoop City Elite.

Since he started playing for Hoop City Elite in May, Tenner has helped it reach the 3-stripes basketball circuit final four for just the second time since Kuyper founded Hoop City Elite in 2005.

Terrance Scales, who coaches Tenner at Cordova, always knew Tenner would be ready for the moment. He just needed a coach to believe in his ability.

“The bigger the platform, the more locked in he’s going to be,” Scales said of Tenner’s mentality.

Added Kuyper on seeing Tenner shine during the Hoop City Live event: “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. It was every Adidas team we played, every time we went on the court, KJ was the best point guard, if not the best player, this whole July.”

That's why Kuyper started Hoop City Elite: To give players from Memphis a chance to shine on the “home team” and develop them into respectable college basketball prospects.

And it was the perfect fit for Tenner. He wanted to prove he could accomplish everything he wanted right in Memphis.

“I want to make Memphis ‘Hoop City’ again,” Tenner said. “The players that did leave, I don’t think they necessarily had to leave. But some people, everybody’s route is different."

Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on Twitter @wynstonw__.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TSSAA basketball: KJ Tenner opts for Cordova over prep school