The Memphis Tigers tip off the regular season on Monday evening at 8:00 PM ET against Missouri, but will do so without one of their key offseason additions.
Forward Tyreek Smith has officially left the Memphis basketball program and entered the transfer portal, a spokesperson confirmed to The Commercial Appeal on Monday.
“Tyreek informed the staff that he would like to explore other opportunities,” the athletic department said in a prepared statement issued to The Commercial Appeal. “We would like to thank Tyreek for his hard work and dedicated while at the University of Memphis and wish him the best of luck.”
Smith will be eligible to play once the fall semester ends in December, so wherever he ends up could have him suit up for the final few months of the season and into the postseason.
Smith transferred to Memphis from SMU this offseason, where he averaged 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game. He previously spent two seasons at Oklahoma State and his first season at Texas Tech.
The drama started with Smith about a month ago when he requested a couple personal days to step away from team activities, with rumors that he was out due to a discrepancy in NIL compensation.
The departure is a big hit to coach Hardaway’s frontcourt, where transfers Moussa Cisse and Dain Dainja figure to soak up most of the minutes alongside returner Nicholas Jourdain and JuCo addition Bouna Kebe, who just joined the program in October.
The Tigers were picked second in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll behind UAB, picking up four of a possible 13 first place votes.