East point guard Alex Lomax commits to Memphis, will play for Penny Hardaway again

One of Penny Hardaway's stalwarts during his three state championship runs at East High School became his second commitment in about 12 hours on Wednesday morning.

Point guard Alex Lomax announced via social media on Wednesday morning that he is committed to Memphis, an expected development after Wichita State gave him a release from his national letter of intent last month.

He joins Hardaway's son, Jayden, as the second member of the Tigers' 2018 recruiting class.

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Lomax is a 2018 prospect who former Tigers coach Tubby Smith coveted and should fill the program's void at point guard. The 5-foot-10 Memphis native is considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and ranked among the top 150 players in the country by every national recruiting outlet.

Lomax has played for Penny Hardaway since the fifth grade, and the two share a "father-son relationship," according to Hardaway. He should see immediately playing time in the Tigers' backcourt.

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Lomax is known as a tough-minded floor general with excellent play-making ability, court vision and defensive skills. He was named TSSAA Class AAA Mr. Basketball as a sophomore and junior at East.

Lomax is the first Memphis native to commit to a scholarship with the Tigers since Jeremiah Martin in 2015. College basketball's late signing period officially begins on April 11.

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Memphis still has three scholarships available to fill out next year's roster. Freshmen Jamal Johnson and David Nickelberry have announced their intentions to transfer since Hardaway's hiring became official.

Hardaway recently had 6-foot-6 wing Connor Crabtree on campus for an official visit, and the Tigers also plan to be active in the graduate transfer market in the coming weeks.

Hardaway also offered a scholarship to Cordova star Tyler Harris and visited with his family last month, although Lomax's commitment could be a deterrent for Harris because they are both point guards.

The Tigers lost both of Smith's 2018 recruits in the transition to the Hardaway regime. Center Connor Vanover was granted a release from his national letter of intent, and guard Myreon Jones decommitted in the wake of Smith's firing.