PJ Haggerty was the third main scorer in males’s school basketball this previous season in a breakout sophomore yr for the Memphis Tigers. Haggerty averaged 21.7 factors per sport by splashing pictures from all three ranges and persistently attending to the free throw line. Solely Villanova’s Eric Dixon and Northern Arizona’s Trenton McLaughlin averaged extra factors through the 2024-2025 season, and each of them are out of eligibility for subsequent yr.
Haggerty is the most recent stunning addition to the switch portal, getting into his title on Thursday afternoon simply forward of the April 22 deadline. He instantly turns into one of many high obtainable gamers within the portal, and he is likely to be one of the best title on the listing when it comes to gamers with a number of years of eligibility remaining.
This can be a devastating blow for Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway, who’s coming off his finest season but at 29-6 total, but didn’t win a sport within the 2025 NCAA match. There’s going to be an extended listing of suitors for a participant with this sort of manufacturing. He went into the switch portal with a “don’t contact” tag, which implies he may have his subsequent vacation spot already picked out.
Haggerty averaged 21.7 factors, 5.8 boards and three.7 assists and went into the portal with a “don’t contact” tag. https://t.co/Y8gMF0Z1mw
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 17, 2025
We ranked Haggerty at No. 9 on our listing of the 50 finest gamers getting into March Insanity. The eight gamers ranked above him are all both returning to their authentic faculty or getting into the 2025 NBA Draft.
The NBA doesn’t have a lot curiosity in Haggerty as a result of he’s a bit small for a scoring guard (6’3, 191 kilos) and doesn’t have a lot athletic explosion — he completed the season with zero dunks. Nonetheless, that is precisely the kind of guard that nice school groups want in March as an instant-offense ingredient who can create off the dribble.
Haggerty was an absolute workhorse for Memphis this previous yr, ending No. 9 in complete minutes performed throughout DI whereas rating No. 2 in each free throws made and free throw makes an attempt. He’s not a excessive quantity three-point shooter, making an attempt solely three pictures from deep per sport, however he’s nonetheless an environment friendly scorer due to his means to get to the foul line. His 58.3 p.c true taking pictures was above-average, and is much more spectacular when combined along with his 20 p.c help price and 28 p.c utilization price.
Haggerty doubtless stands to money in huge time within the portal. Identify a school staff that wants a beginning guard: Haggerty ought to be their high choice. North Carolina figures to a be critical suitor for Haggerty. St. John’s nonetheless wants a guard because it targets former UNC freshman Ian Jackson. Will an SEC faculty like Alabama or Kentucky attempt to get into the combo? A college like Indiana may actually use him within the backcourt to compete within the Large Ten.
Haggerty may very well be a Preseason First-Group All-American when he reviews to campus for the 2025-2026 season. Gamers with this stage of manufacturing, expertise, and two years of remaining eligibility don’t come round usually. Memphis’ loss can be a blueblood’s acquire most definitely.
