Curtis Givens III Returns Home, Reigniting Memphis' Local Pipeline
May 31, 2025 | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The hometown pipeline is flowing once again for the Memphis Tigers. Former top-50 recruit Curtis Givens III, a Bluff City native and Memphis University School alum, is coming home. After a year at LSU, Givens has officially signed to play for Penny Hardaway and the University of Memphis Tigers.
The 6-foot-4 guard saw action in all 32 games for LSU, starting 12. He averaged 4.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in just over 18 minutes per game. While his shooting percentages - 26.9% from the field, 24.6% from three and 59.1% at the line - were below expectations, Givens impressed as a floor general, committing only 36 turnovers all season. His best performance came in a breakout game against eventual national champion Florida, where he posted a career-high 11 points and four assists with zero turnovers.
Ranked No. 39 nationally in the Class of 2024, Givens is the highest-rated Memphis-born recruit to sign with the Tigers since Dedric Lawson in 2015. He initially chose LSU over his hometown school. Now, he returns to join a revamped Memphis squad and a coaching staff stacked with Bluff City ties — including Hardaway, Andre Turner, Jermaine Johnson and Dwight Boyd.
His return marks a significant moment for the program. Memphis had no native-born players on its active roster last season — a rarity for a program known for thriving on its deep hometown roots. Now, with Givens joining fellow Memphian Julian Thedford, that connection is being restored heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Givens started his prep career at Memphis University School before transferring to national powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida for his final two years, where he shared the court with elite prospects such as Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Liam McNeeley (UConn), both projected first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. He helped lead the Eagles to a national championship with a perfect 33-0 record as a senior.
Givens becomes the 12th player to sign with Memphis in a busy 2025 offseason for Hardaway. He joins a class that includes transfers Daniel Vieira-Tuck, Felipe Patino, Quante Berry (Temple), Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky), Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's), Zachary Davis (South Carolina), Sincere Parker (McNeese State), Hasan Abdul Hakim (UTRGV), and Mason Matthews (Lane College).
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.
The 6-foot-4 guard saw action in all 32 games for LSU, starting 12. He averaged 4.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in just over 18 minutes per game. While his shooting percentages - 26.9% from the field, 24.6% from three and 59.1% at the line - were below expectations, Givens impressed as a floor general, committing only 36 turnovers all season. His best performance came in a breakout game against eventual national champion Florida, where he posted a career-high 11 points and four assists with zero turnovers.
Ranked No. 39 nationally in the Class of 2024, Givens is the highest-rated Memphis-born recruit to sign with the Tigers since Dedric Lawson in 2015. He initially chose LSU over his hometown school. Now, he returns to join a revamped Memphis squad and a coaching staff stacked with Bluff City ties — including Hardaway, Andre Turner, Jermaine Johnson and Dwight Boyd.
His return marks a significant moment for the program. Memphis had no native-born players on its active roster last season — a rarity for a program known for thriving on its deep hometown roots. Now, with Givens joining fellow Memphian Julian Thedford, that connection is being restored heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Givens started his prep career at Memphis University School before transferring to national powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida for his final two years, where he shared the court with elite prospects such as Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Liam McNeeley (UConn), both projected first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. He helped lead the Eagles to a national championship with a perfect 33-0 record as a senior.
Givens becomes the 12th player to sign with Memphis in a busy 2025 offseason for Hardaway. He joins a class that includes transfers Daniel Vieira-Tuck, Felipe Patino, Quante Berry (Temple), Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky), Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's), Zachary Davis (South Carolina), Sincere Parker (McNeese State), Hasan Abdul Hakim (UTRGV), and Mason Matthews (Lane College).
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.
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