University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis Bolsters the Block with South Dakota State Transfer William Whorton
Jun 03, 2025 | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - University of Memphis men's basketball head coach Penny Hardaway announced Tuesday the signing of 6-foot-8 forward William Whorton, a transfer from South Dakota State University, for the 2025-26 season.
Whorton, a Milwaukee native, brings two years of developmental experience and untapped potential to Memphis after appearing in 21 games for the Jackrabbits during the 2024-25 season. He averaged 3.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 9.3 minutes per game, adding physicality and hustle off the bench for a 20-win SDSU team that narrowly missed postseason play.
Whorton's best individual performance came in a non-conference matchup against Chadron State, where he grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points. He also recorded a season-high eight points in games against both Southern Miss and Montana.
An unranked recruit coming out of high school, Whorton used his redshirt season to develop and gained valuable experience in the Summit League. He now joins a Memphis program known for producing pro-ready forwards and competing at the highest levels under Hardaway's leadership.
Whorton is the 13th player Hardaway 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), Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's), Zachary Davis (South Carolina), Sincere Parker (McNeese State), Hasan Abdul Hakim (UTRGV), Mason Matthews (Lane College) and Curtis Givens III (LSU).
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.Â
Whorton, a Milwaukee native, brings two years of developmental experience and untapped potential to Memphis after appearing in 21 games for the Jackrabbits during the 2024-25 season. He averaged 3.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 9.3 minutes per game, adding physicality and hustle off the bench for a 20-win SDSU team that narrowly missed postseason play.
Whorton's best individual performance came in a non-conference matchup against Chadron State, where he grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points. He also recorded a season-high eight points in games against both Southern Miss and Montana.
An unranked recruit coming out of high school, Whorton used his redshirt season to develop and gained valuable experience in the Summit League. He now joins a Memphis program known for producing pro-ready forwards and competing at the highest levels under Hardaway's leadership.
Whorton is the 13th player Hardaway 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), Ashton Hardaway (Saint Mary's), Zachary Davis (South Carolina), Sincere Parker (McNeese State), Hasan Abdul Hakim (UTRGV), Mason Matthews (Lane College) and Curtis Givens III (LSU).
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.Â
Players Mentioned
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