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What CBSSports.com last week reported would eventually happen will become official in the next 48 hours. Yes, Memphis is hiring Keelon Lawson as an assistant basketball coach, multiple sources told CBSSports.com early Wednesday.
Lawson subsequently confirmed the news to CBSSports.com via text.
Memphis later formally announced the hire with a press release.
Under normal circumstances, this would not qualify as news because the hiring of a third assistant doesn't typically get much attention. But Lawson's situation is different, as previously noted at CBSSports.com, because he is the father of three elite recruits expected to enroll in college in the next five years -- and another who is now a sixth-grader.
The Lawson brothers, previously profiled here, are K.J. Lawson, Dedric Lawson, Chandler Lawson and Jonathan Lawson, and each could, theoretically, become a McDonald's All-American. K.J., a 6-7 wing, is ranked No. 32 nationally in the Class of 2015 by 247Sports. Dedric, a 6-9 forward, is ranked No. 5 nationally in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports. Chandler, a 6-6 wing, is ranked No. 1 nationally in the Class of 2019 by Future150.com. And Jonathan, though too young to rank, is considered their equal as a prospect.
K.J. is already committed to Memphis.
Dedric will be formally committed soon, according to sources.
"Josh had to do this," said one rival college coach. "He had no choice. If he didn't do it, another coach would've, and he couldn't risk letting those kids get out of Memphis."
Keelon Lawson is a former college player and high school coach.
He won a state championship in 2009 at Hamilton High in Memphis.
