Briarcrest's Fred Smith Jr. commits to Penny Hardaway, Memphis basketball
Briarcrest star Fred Smith Jr. has committed to Memphis basketball. He's Penny Hardaway's best high school recruit since 2023.
After years of hope from Memphis basketball fans, Fred Smith Jr. has finally made it official. Smith, a 6-foot-7 forward from Briarcrest Christian School in the 2026 class, announced his commitment to Penny Hardaway and Memphis on April 9, sharing the decision in front of a packed gym at Briarcrest.
Smith is rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 87 player in the country by the 247Sports Composite. He is the first top-100 recruit for Hardaway since Mikey Williams in 2023, although Williams never actually played for the Tigers .
Smith recently won a second TSSAA Division II-AA state championship and Mr. Basketball award , and has a lengthy relationship with Memphis, dating back to first receiving an offer from Hardaway as a sophomore after winning his first state title in 2024. Since, he's been a fixture a Tigers home games, just as Hardaway has frequented those at Briarcrest.
Now, the Memphis native joins four-star guard Cello Jackson Jr. , a close friend and fellow Memphis product, in Hardaway's 2026 class. Smith chose the Tigers over Saint Louis and Ole Miss , where he also took visits during his senior year.