J&J on Tigers RELOADED: Memphis signs Vavers & Cummings

Hardaway Announces the Signing of Transfers Cummings and Vavers

MEMPHIS, TN. - University of Memphis men’s basketball head coach Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway officially announced Wednesday the addition of two transfers, guard Brandin Cummings and forward Rihards Vavers. J&J weighed in on the new players on the roster:

Cummings, a 6-foot-3 guard from Midland, Pennsylvania, spent the past two seasons at Pittsburgh, appearing in 50 games with 13 starts. Over his two seasons with the Panthers, he totaled 432 points (8.6 ppg), 79 rebounds and 65 assists while shooting over 40 percent from the field and nearly 35 percent from three-point range.

A combo guard capable of scoring in bunches, Cummings recorded 19 double-figure games, including four 20-point performances and two 30-point outings. Last December against Coastal Athletic Association champion Hofstra, he scored 34 points off the bench; the most by an ACC reserve since the 2009-10 season.

As a freshman, Cummings earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors after a 30-point performance against Eastern Kentucky. He averaged 6.3 points per game that season while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.

A top-150 recruit out of Lincoln Park High School, Cummings was a three-time all-state selection and led the Leopards to three WPIAL titles and two PIAA state championships.

Vavers, a 6-foot-7 junior from Adazi, Latvia, joins Memphis after two seasons at Washington State and one at Quinnipiac. Over his collegiate career, he has shot better than 40 percent from three-point range and made more than 130 triples.

During his junior season at Washington State, Vavers ranked as the Cougars’ second-leading scorer (11.7 ppg) and led the team with 73 made three-pointers while shooting a team-best 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.

As a sophomore, he averaged 5.6 points per game while shooting 47 percent from three, highlighted by a 17-point performance against Loyola Marymount in the West Coast Conference Tournament.

At Quinnipiac, Vavers recorded eight double-digit scoring games, averaging 7.9 points and 2.8 rebounds across 24 appearances for the Bobcats.

Vavers began his basketball career in the United States in the DMV area, playing at powerhouse Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. and on the AAU circuit with Team Thrill out of Baltimore which was founded and sponsored by former Tiger Will Barton. He later spent a prep season with The Skill Factory program.

Cummings and Vavers are the first two transfers to sign with Hardaway during the transfer portal window which closes April 21.

Full coverage of the Memphis Tigers and the transfer portal LIVE on 92.9 FM ESPN.