Due to his wife, the Memphis Tigers all-time two players have officially announced there retirements due to…
WMC, Memphis, Tennessee In remembrance of basketball legend Lorenzen Wright, the University of Memphis plans to retire number 55.
Later this year, prior to an undetermined game, Wright’s number will be retired during a FedExForum game.
Wright’s 55 will become one of the retired Tigers’ numbers, along with Win Wilfong (22), John Gunn (44), Larry Finch (21), Ronnie Robinson (33), Keith Lee (24), Elliot Perry (34), Anfernee Hardaway (25), Forest Arnold (13) and Larry Kenon (35).
Wright was selected to the first team of the All-Great Midwest in 1995 and the All-Conference USA in 1996.
The Los Angeles Clippers selected him seventh overall in the 1996 NBA Draft.
During his 12-year NBA career, he later started at center for the Memphis Grizzlies, his home team.
2010 saw the shocking death of Wright in Bluff City. He was killed, and two people are now being charged.
DeAndre Williams, 27, was not granted a waiver to play basketball for Memphis for another season.
The oldest player in Division I during the previous season, Williams was vying for a sixth year of eligibility.
Reactions from DeAndre Williams during a game
March 17, 2023, Columbus, Ohio—During the second half of the Memphis Tigers’ game versus the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena, DeAndre Williams, #12 of the team, reacts. (Image courtesy of Dylan Buell/Getty Images.)
“We are extremely disappointed a waiver for an additional year of eligibility for DeAndre Williams was denied, which came following a request for reconsideration of the initial denial and then an appeal,” Memphis athletics stated in a statement on Friday.
According to the Associated Press, Williams was pursuing a sixth year after serving as a year-in-residence at Evansville during his freshman year in 2018–19.
“We felt the evidence about academic misadvisement prior to his initial collegiate enrollment that was uncovered and provided to the NCAA was sufficient to grant this waiver, and we also strongly believed the depth of additional information shared with the NCAA on an ongoing basis would be on DeAndre’s side,” the statement from Memphis athletics continued.
“Unfortunately, the NCAA came to a different conclusion following several months of back and forth. For the past two and a half years, DeAndre has made significant contributions to our men’s basketball program, and he will always be a Memphis Tiger. However, we are eagerly anticipating a thrilling season on the court for our men’s basketball team.”
