College basketball teams across the country routinely lose players to transfer each year, with the sport boasting the highest transfer rate among all Division I sports. Whether it's because players quit on their situation or feel they could simply find a better one, Memphis coach Tubby Smith says the alarming trend is sending student-athletes the wrong message.

"Kids have a lot of options nowadays with the new NCAA regulations, guys can transfer whenever they want," Smith said on Sunday after his team's win over East Carolina. "I've been in this business a long time, never seen anything like it. We had over 800 Division I players transfer last year. We're teaching them how to quit. That's what we're doing. Things not going well, let's quit."

Smith's comments on Monday came after a reporter asked if he expected to have most of his team back for the 2018 season, which is far from a guarantee. After taking over the Tigers job last year, six players transferred to other schools, and Memphis' lack of success on the court could potentially signal another mass exit, as Smith termed it.

"Somebody needs to tell them you made a commitment. Stick to it," Smith said. "But it doesn't happen like that. They have a lot of people in their ear. That's the way life is."

Smith admitted that, as a player, he even once considered transferring from High Point in 1969 following his freshman year. But his father put his foot down.

"'You're still getting your scholarship, aren't you? They're still feeding you? They still housing you? You still getting an education?'" Smith said his father asked him after proposing the idea to transfer.

When Smith replied, "yes, sir," his father said: "Well, you can't come home. Your bed's been taken. ... but you can join the Army." Smith said his father's wisdom in that moment was the best thing to ever happen to him. 

Memphis finished its regular season on Sunday with a 19-12 record. The Tigers are set to face USF on Thursday in the first round of the AAC postseason tournament.