Penny Hardaway Adds Two Scorers to Memphis Roster

New additions include a sharp-shooting forward and a guard recovering from ankle surgery.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 3:48am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented basketball players and court elements in a dynamic composition of sharp, overlapping shapes in navy, orange, and green, conveying the energy and potential of the Memphis Tigers' revamped lineup.Hardaway's new-look Memphis roster aims to shatter expectations with a dynamic blend of scoring talent.Memphis Today

Penny Hardaway, the head coach of the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, has added two new players to his roster for the upcoming season. The first is Rihards Vavers, a 6-foot-7 forward from Latvia who led Washington State in 3-point shooting last season, hitting 41% from beyond the arc which ranked him second in the West Coast Conference and top 30 nationally. The other new addition is Brandin Cummings, a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 12 points and 2 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 33% from 3-point range. Cummings underwent ankle surgery in February but still led his previous team, the Panthers, in scoring during that time.

Why it matters

Hardaway is looking to build on the Tigers' success from last season and these two new additions provide an infusion of scoring talent, particularly from the perimeter. Vavers and Cummings should help Memphis improve its outside shooting and offensive firepower as the team aims to compete for a conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.

The details

Vavers, a junior, is a native of Latvia who spent the last two seasons at Washington State. He led the Cougars in 3-point shooting, connecting on 41% of his attempts from beyond the arc, which ranked second in the West Coast Conference and placed him in the top 30 nationally. Vavers averaged 11 points per game for Washington State. Cummings, a guard, comes to Memphis after spending the last two seasons at an undisclosed school. He averaged 12 points and 2 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 33% from 3-point range. Cummings underwent ankle surgery in February but still managed to lead his previous team in scoring during that time.

  • Vavers spent the last two seasons at Washington State.
  • Cummings underwent ankle surgery in February of this year.

The players

Rihards Vavers

A 6-foot-7 forward from Latvia who spent the last two seasons at Washington State, where he led the team in 3-point shooting, connecting on 41% of his attempts from beyond the arc which ranked second in the West Coast Conference and placed him in the top 30 nationally. Vavers averaged 11 points per game for the Cougars.

Brandin Cummings

A 6-foot-3 guard who comes to Memphis after spending the last two seasons at an undisclosed school. Cummings averaged 12 points and 2 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 33% from 3-point range. He underwent ankle surgery in February but still managed to lead his previous team in scoring during that time.

Penny Hardaway

The head coach of the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, who is looking to build on the team's success from last season and has added these two new scoring threats to his roster.

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What they’re saying

“These two new players give us a big boost in outside shooting and scoring ability. We're excited to have them join the program and help us compete at a high level this season.”

— Penny Hardaway, Head Coach, Memphis Tigers

What’s next

The Memphis Tigers will begin their preseason practice schedule in the coming weeks as they prepare for the start of the 2026-27 season. Fans will get their first look at the new-look roster, including Vavers and Cummings, during the team's exhibition games in October.

The takeaway

Penny Hardaway has reloaded the Memphis roster with two talented scorers who should provide an immediate boost to the team's perimeter shooting and offensive production. Vavers and Cummings give the Tigers more firepower as they aim to build on last season's success and compete for a conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.