Austin Nichols leaving Memphis this week

[I.I.]

Memphis' top player will transfer making the third one this year. Pastner has refused to allow him to leave at this point and lawyers may get involved. You only dream about that type of player in your program.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

They could probably keep them all if Josh Pastner would transfer.

 

[Bill Lowery_1]

Saw a clip of Pastner last season saying Nichols played like do-do in a game. We can't have him playing like do-do. He needs to play like a stud. I like his grown up words.

 

[TU_BLA]

Nichols leaving won't impact us at all since he likely would not be moving to an AAC team anyway.

 

[mehwhocares]

Huh? It certainly does impact Tulsa, since Tulsa will not be facing him this year... And he's a freaking stud.

 

[lawpoke87]

Surprising move imo. He transfers and sits out a year opposed to playing this season for Memphis and likely declaring for the NBA draft at year's end. Odd.

 

[mcane]

Commercial Appeal has article suggesting AD wants to meet with Nichols, apparently to reverse Pastner's refusal to grant him a release, not to change his mind.

This is a big loss for Memphis and likely drops them from the top of the pre-season AAC and the top 25.

Very bad recruiting not to grant a release - TU learned the hard way with Clarkson, eventually releasing except for schools that tampered. Pastner is on thin ice. Nichols was very popular with the Memphis fans.

 

[Bill Lowery_1]

Nichols is the 5th top 100 player to leave Memphis from their great 2013 recruiting class. I've heard that the reason for leaving could be related to players not reaching their potential under Pastner to the hiring of the Lawson brothers dad as an assistant. Dedrick has stated that hiring his dad would seal him signing. If not, he most likely would have signed with Kentucky. He has a younger brother Chandler, ranked by some as the #1 player in the 2019 class.

Signing fathers of outstanding players isn't new with Larry Brown hiring Danny Manning's father and Bill Self hiring Mario Chalmer's father. It will be interesting to learn the reason for him wanting to leave. I don't think Pastner is on solid enough ground to weather the possible negative impact of this if it blows up.

 

[TU_BLA]

Huh? It certainly does impact Tulsa, since Tulsa will not be facing him this year... And he's a freaking stud.

Memphis is still going to be stacked. They got a great recruiting class. The impact is more on Memphis' rotation, and I was thinking more that he couldn't come to TU nor any other AAC school on a transfer.

 

[Bill Lowery_1]

Memphis has given him his release. He can't transfer to any AAC school, Tennessee or anyone on their 15-16 or 16-17 schedule.