Memphis lands Florida-based four-star Carl Cherenfant

Memphis snagged its second commitment of the 2023 cycle on Sunday, when four-star wing Carl Cherenfant announced his intention to sign with Penny Hardaway’s program. Cherenfant, who held a long list of offers, chose the Tigers over fellow finalists UCF and St. John’s,

Below, Rivals' Rob Cassidy explores what Memphis is getting in its new commit.

IN HIS WORDS

ON WHY HE CHOSE THE TIGERS

“The way Penny Hardaway designs everything – both offensively and defensively – was important for me. I like the way he thinks as a basketball coach, but also how he understands how we think as players. It’s clear he understands how we think and how to be a pro. That was big for me.”

ON HIS VISIT TO MEMPHIS

“It kind of sealed the deal a little bit, but I was already feeling like everything was pointing toward Memphis going into my visit. I just wanted to get a better feel for it. I got the feel I was looking for when I was up there.”

ON HOW HE FITS WITH THE MEMPHIS SYSTEM

“Penny Hardaway thinks I can play right away because of my defense and because I guard multiple positions. I’ve also matured with my game when it comes to making smart plays. Offensively, though, he loves big guards.”

ON WHAT POSITION HE SEES HIMSELF PLAYING

“He loves big guards playing the point guard position. We talked about how I could do that. He told me that I can make a lot of money playing this game if I can play point guard and multiple positions. We agreed on that front.”

WHAT MEMPHIS IS GETTING

Cherenfant is known mostly for his athleticism, but the Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) Calvary Christian Academy wing has also moved into a solid, if streaky, three-point shooter capable of taking games when he gets hot. First and foremost,. however, the 6-foot-5 Cherenfant is a rim-attacker that is capable of taking defenders off the bounce and creating shots for himself as well as others. He’ll need to add muscle and become more motivated as a rebounder, but he already shines on the defensive end, where his blend of athleticism and length gives him versatility and makes him a nightmare in passing lanes. Cherenfant has become much more skilled in a number of areas over the last year, but his calling card remains his motor, which never seems to stall.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE TIGERS

This feels like it could be the start of a bit of a recruiting run for Penny Hardaway. Memphis is very much in the mix for four-star point guard Ty-Laur Johnson, who will visit campus over the weekend. Rivals150 Forward Ashton Hardaway, the son of the program’s head coach, is also understandably seen as Tiger lean and could enter the fold down the road. There are other prospects on which Memphis has an eye as well, so this class could look very different than it does now come January. Adding an athletic, vocal leader like Cherenfant should provide a good foundation going forward, however.

COACH’S CORNER:

“Carl is a kid I watched develop from 8th grade until now as a person and player. He’s a great teammate and a great player. Penny is gonna love to coach him because Carl is a great program kid – a true leader in every sense of the word.” – Calvary Christian head coach Cilk McSweeney