Tyreek Smith transfers from Memphis to Kansas State, joining his fifth team in five seasons

Former Memphis forward Tyreek Smith transferred to Kansas State on Monday and will redshirt during the 2024-25 college basketball season, according to 247Sports. Smith left the Memphis program and entered the transfer portal earlier this month, less than seven months after transferring from SMU this offseason. 

Smith will be joining his fifth different team in the last five seasons after stops at Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, SMU and Memphis. The news of Smith’s departure came on the day of the Tigers’ season-opener against Missouri and weeks after the forward took a couple of personal days away from the team reportedly because of a name, image and likeness dispute.

“Tyreek informed the staff that he would like to explore other opportunities,” the Memphis athletic department said in a statement to The Commercial Appeal. “We would like to thank Tyreek for his hard work and dedication while at the University of Memphis and wish him the best of luck.”

Smith averaged 8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds for SMU last season. 

“I think that in this era, you have to understand that these young men will have situations where they’re going to need some time,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said last month. “There’s so much pressure with playing time, with family members, with all kinds of stuff happening and (Tyreek) came to me and asked for a couple of personal days, and I gave them to him. He never once told me that he was quitting.”

Smith was part of Memphis’ transfer portal class that ranked No. 11 by 247Sports.