Memphis Coach Penny Hardaway, Team, Facing Several Severe Allegations Of Violating NCAA Rules
The University of Memphis men’s basketball program is facing several severe allegations of breaking NCAA rules while its coach, Penny Hardaway, is charged with wrongdoing.
Documents obtained by CBS Sports on Saturday (March 26) reportedly include Memphis’ response to an amended notice of allegations the school received last summer from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process.
The response shows Hardaway is facing accusations of at least one Level I and two Level II violations, which are both considered major violations by the NCAA. The notice of allegations claims Hardaway failed to establish a culture of compliance as a part of head coach responsibility and failed to monitor.
The IARP also accuses the University of not properly preserving the hard drive from the computer of former assistant coach Mike Miller, the contents of which have been deleted.
According to the Daily Memphian, Memphis is accused of lack of institutional control and faces seven allegations, including failure to cooperate, obstruction of the investigation, failure to report acts of noncompliance in a timely fashion and a failure to disclose or provide access to information.
Memphis responded by either denying the allegations or by claiming the wrongdoing it is accused of does not rise to the nature of a Level I violation. Four of allegations against the school are considered Level I violations, two are Level II and the level of an additional allegation is redacted in the documents.
The alleged violations levied against Memphis and its coach stem from the IARP’s ongoing investigation into the recruitment and short time former No. 1 recruit James Wiseman spent at the program.
Hardaway is accused of paying Wiseman and his family’s moving expenses before later being hired by Memphis and landing Wiseman as a recruit, which violates the NCAA rules as a booster and could be construed as an inducement to earn his commitment. Wisemen hired attorneys and obtained a restraining order allowing him to continue playing before the NCAA was able to step in and enforce a 12-game suspension. Meanwhile, the team refused to sit Wiseman and allowed him to continue playing while the process played out. It’s a decision that almost immediately backfired and may cost the Tigers any goodwill in the eyes of the IARP.
Wiseman ended up playing in only three games with Memphis prior to leaving the school in December 2019 to focus on the 2020 NBA Draft.
