South Carolina’s Top Defender Zachary Davis Transfers to Memphis
Apr 30, 2025 | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Head coach Penny Hardaway and the University of Memphis men's basketball program have added a major piece to their 2025-26 roster with the signing of 6-foot-7 wing Zachary Davis, the program announced Wednesday.
A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, Davis joins the Tigers as a graduate transfer after spending the past three seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He chose Memphis over Xavier, Pittsburgh and Cal and will bring his defensive versatility, experience and athleticism to a Tigers squad looking to make their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in five seasons.
Davis played in 95 of a possible 98 games for South Carolina, including 38 starts. In 2024-25, he averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.4 minutes per game, starting 19 contests. He finished the season as the Gamecocks' fourth-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder, while also tying for second on the team with 35 steals.
Despite South Carolina finishing 12-20 and missing the NCAA Tournament, Davis was a steady presence and often tasked with defending the opposing team's top perimeter threat.
While his 38.2% shooting from the field as a junior marked a slight dip from his 43.2% clip the previous season, Davis did show growth from beyond the arc, hitting a career-best 27.7% of his 3-point attempts (28-of-101).
Davis emerged as a significant contributor during his sophomore campaign in 2023-24, helping lead South Carolina to 26 wins and a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He became known for his defensive prowess and ability to impact games without needing to dominate the ball.
The 6-foot-7 wing has also proven capable of offensive outbursts. He tied his career high with 22 points twice last season — once in a narrow one-point loss to eventual national champion Florida on Jan. 22 (9-of-18 FG) and again on Jan. 4 against Mississippi State.
Davis becomes the eighth player the program has signed to the 2025 recruiting class, joining Daniel Vieira-Tuck, Felipe Patino, Quante Berry (Temple), Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky) and Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's).
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, Davis joins the Tigers as a graduate transfer after spending the past three seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He chose Memphis over Xavier, Pittsburgh and Cal and will bring his defensive versatility, experience and athleticism to a Tigers squad looking to make their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in five seasons.
Davis played in 95 of a possible 98 games for South Carolina, including 38 starts. In 2024-25, he averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.4 minutes per game, starting 19 contests. He finished the season as the Gamecocks' fourth-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder, while also tying for second on the team with 35 steals.
Despite South Carolina finishing 12-20 and missing the NCAA Tournament, Davis was a steady presence and often tasked with defending the opposing team's top perimeter threat.
While his 38.2% shooting from the field as a junior marked a slight dip from his 43.2% clip the previous season, Davis did show growth from beyond the arc, hitting a career-best 27.7% of his 3-point attempts (28-of-101).
Davis emerged as a significant contributor during his sophomore campaign in 2023-24, helping lead South Carolina to 26 wins and a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He became known for his defensive prowess and ability to impact games without needing to dominate the ball.
The 6-foot-7 wing has also proven capable of offensive outbursts. He tied his career high with 22 points twice last season — once in a narrow one-point loss to eventual national champion Florida on Jan. 22 (9-of-18 FG) and again on Jan. 4 against Mississippi State.
Davis becomes the eighth player the program has signed to the 2025 recruiting class, joining Daniel Vieira-Tuck, Felipe Patino, Quante Berry (Temple), Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky) and Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's).
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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