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Kendric Davis dominated the AAC last season and won conference Player of the Year.
Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Kendric Davis was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year this season after averaging 19.4 points per game in SMU to lead the league. He decided to transfer when Mustangs manager Tim Jankovich announced his retirement in March and was ranked second among Sports Illustrated’s top prospects on the transfer portal. Davis wrote an exclusive blog with SI detailing her decision and the thought process behind it.
Hey world, this is Kendric Davis and I’m here to talk about my commitment.
Well, first I’d like to thank SMU for everything they’ve done for me. The fan base has been amazing to me and without their support none of this would have been possible. I mean it.
With that said, my mom and I have decided that I’m going to attend the University of Memphis.
It came to Memphis, Texas Tech, TCU Kansas, and Houston, and I can say there were definitely some sleepless nights because I had great options.
The coaches were really throwing big shots and I was getting pulled in so many different ways.
For me though, it was all about the fit.
I wanted to go somewhere where I could show my game, but also be on the big stage.
Of course, everyone knows who Coach Penny (Hardaway) is; he’s one of the greatest point guards of all time, and just being in Memphis City is going to be super dynamic with me and Ja Morant to watch.
Ja Morant sought out Kendric Davis to take him to Memphis.
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
You’re telling me you’re going to watch Ja one day and Kendric the next!
Guy! It’s gonna be big!
The final deciding factor was that Penny Hardaway would be my mentor and teacher. He told me getting there would be the biggest news since Tyreke Evans and Derrick Rose.
For him to say that, it meant a lot to me and my family. Just having that level of expectation is something I really embrace.
It’s bittersweet because, God knows, I didn’t want to leave SMU. Being in the portal, it just means someone left and you have to look for the right fit again.
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The good thing, though, is that I know I found this in Memphis.
When I heard I was going to choose Memphis, I FaceTimed Coach Penny while he was at the gym working out.
He just screamed and screamed and started running with his hands up and everyone around him was worried as if they didn’t know what was going on.
He went on to say, “We got him! We got it! The city is about to go crazy! The city is about to go crazy!”
Then he said he had to call me back. He was so excited he needed a minute! Haha!
Was love!
It’s easy to play for a coach who already knows his game. We played together at the same conference and had several battles. He said he wants to use me in the same way as SMU because he knows it works. There’s no real adjustment to this; going to another school they would have to make adjustments and learn things about my game.
I’m so relieved.
My uncle and my mother were the two who blew up every day and were so ready for this to be over.
Now I can focus on my pre-Draft workouts and relax more because I found the perfect fit.
I’ll put my name in the Draft and I’ll pre-draft in Phoenix, but then I’ll be in Memphis.
I’m going through the process, but I’m definitely planning on being in Memphis. I’m excited about it.
I chose Memphis because I felt I could take my game to the next level with a proven coach who has mastered the position I play. I feel like we have the pieces to make a race, and I’m excited for the fans and the city.
Ja reached out to me and he kept saying that we are going to turn the city!
I want the city of Memphis to get ready because it’s going to be a show!
Go Tigers Go!
Don’t forget to follow Kendric Davis:
Twitter: @150__KD
Instagram: 150_kd
