Memphis continued to roll on Saturday , when four-star guard Ty-Laur Johnson made the call for the Tigers. The No. 54 player in the country, Johnson chose the Tigers over fellow finalists NC State and Seton Hall and is Penny Hardaway’s sixth commit of the 2022 cycle. Below, Rivals explores what Memphis is getting in Johnson and what the news of his pledge means for the program.

WHAT MEMPHIS IS GETTING

Johnson had a breakout summer running point for the NY Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit and turned plenty of heads in the process. At 6-foot, he’s a bit undersized, sure, but it’s impossible to argue with his production or his ability to get downhill in a hurry. One of the better facilitators in this class, Johnson averaged more than six assists per game in the EYBL this summer and did a solid job limiting turnovers in most of our viewings of him. His slight frame and lack of elite length will always limit him from a defensive versatility standpoint, but he has the motor, quickness and footwork to stay in front of ball handlers on the perimeter. Johnson is as quick as point guards come when it comes to getting up and down the floor and finishes relatively well at the rim. He’s certainly capable of scoring from deep and takes over games from the arc from time to time, but is a bit streaky on that front. If he becomes more consistent from the outside, his game will take the next step.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR MEMPHIS

Nobody is hotter than Memphis on the recruiting trail. The Tigers have now landed four commitments since last Friday, all of which came from four-star prospects. Johnson joins fellow four-star guards Mikey Williams and JJ Taylor on the Tigers’ commitment list and probably had the best summer of the group. Penny Hardaway’s 2023 class doesn’t lack depth and is now set up to weather the storm should one of the three not pan out the way Hardaway hopes. Johnson may not have Williams’ raw scoring ability or Taylor’s size, but he’s the best distributor of the bunch and takes care of the basketball better as well. The group fills in each other’s gaps nicely, making the trio a promising one for the Tigers.

IN HIS WORDS

“Andy Borman is my guy. We have a great connection. Then, I have a really good relationship with Penny [Hardaway]. He’s an NBA player and he knows what it takes to get there.” – Johnson To Rivals

“Basically, everything will run through me there. They told me they are going to let me play my game, so I like that a lot.” – Johnson to Rivals