Memphis PG Jeremiah Martin's leadership critical with 7 new players

Mark Giannotto | Memphis Commercial Appeal

The suggestion came from Memphis Coach Tubby Smith, and so point guard Jeremiah Martin did as he was told this past weekend. He flew to Dayton, Ohio, made the 40-minute drive to Xenia, Ohio, and attended an Athletes in Action leadership retreat for athletes from across the country.

He already knew his role will be changing as one of the few veterans returning to the Memphis men’s basketball team after a tumultuous offseason. But Martin only realized when he got there that this “was an opportunity I’m glad I didn’t pass up on,” he said Thursday during an interview back on campus at the Larry Finch Center.

The days were long and full of team-building exercises. If not for getting to know someone new, “you would be bored,” Martin admitted. And so, the rising junior built friendships on the fly with his roommate on the trip, Lehigh basketball player Kyle Leufroy, as well as Ohio State basketball players Jae’Sean Tate and Keita Bates-Diop.

He also met other potential team captains, trading stories about the situations they would have to confront and overcome entering next season. Taken together, the experience left Martin with a better idea of how to approach all the fresh faces that greeted him back at Memphis this week.

“We have so many new players that don’t really know each other and that was basically what the camp was about,” Martin said. “I actually met everyone in there and we just meshed from the start. I have to take that, me building that bond with everyone there, coming back to Memphis with all our new guys. Building a bond with them, I feel like that can take us a long way in the season.”

How well Martin adjusts to this leadership position could go a long way toward determining if a roster featuring seven newcomers gels quickly over the coming months. Less than a year after becoming a first-time starter for the Tigers, Martin is now considered a grizzled veteran compared to his counterparts on campus and the lone Memphis native left in a program that features few familiar names.

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While six players from last year’s team transferred in recent months, including three fellow Memphis natives, Martin never wavered in his commitment to the Tigers. He even defended Smith on social media and became a valuable resource during the recruiting visits that ultimately netted Memphis four junior college prospects this offseason.

Though Martin hasn’t yet been named a team captain, it’s clear Smith sees the potential for that. Martin is the team’s leading returning scorer (10.3 points) and finished among the top 10 in the American Athletic Conference in assists, steals and minutes per game last year after being a bit player as a freshman.

“He’s been all in and I’m grateful for that,” Smith said last month. “I know there’s a lot of pressure on him because can you imagine if all these guys are leaving, then why are you staying? But he trusts and he believes in us and the things we said were gonna happen happened.”

Martin said he was a leader on last year’s team as the starting point guard. But rising senior Jimario Rivers said it’s becoming obvious this offseason that Martin is “more serious” now. Both returning players seem intent on showing those outside the program the Tigers will be a threat despite losing so many pieces from a year ago.

“I’m glad that we’re the underdogs because we have a point to prove,” Martin said.

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During nightly pick-up basketball games this week, Martin noted he already noticed the newcomers, who include three freshmen, “love passing the ball. Everybody’s unselfish. They put themselves last.”

Martin plans to do the same, hopeful the leadership lessons from this past weekend will be put to good use.

The process started Wednesday. He took the entire team to Wolfchase Galleria and the players simply walked around as a group, beginning to build the bonds that should be invaluable in the months to come.

“It’s my job to show these guys the way. I’m from Memphis,” Martin said. “I’ve got to make sure nothing bad happens on or off the court and be a brother to everybody on the team. Obviously because I stayed, I love this city. I love Memphis. I love the guys that’s here.”