The University of Memphis men's basketball team faces alarming allegations of multiple NCAA rule violations. Head coach Penny Hardaway — former Memphis student and NBA star — sits at the forefront of the alleged scandal. The Daily Memphian and Memphis Commercial Appeal broke this story just a week after Memphis was eliminated from the NCAA tournament, and it could spell doom for the program.
A Breakdown of the Allegations
The NCAA has accused Memphis of four Level I rule violations — the most severe allegations possible — and two Level II violations. These accusations come less than a year after the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) - a third-party review panel — filed complaints against Memphis that the university failed to address or resolve.
The most grievous allegations suggest that Coach Hardaway and his staff failed to exercise institutional control in the program, obstructed the NCAA's investigation, neglected to report acts of non-compliance during Hardaway's tenure, and tampered with evidence.
Hardaway was the only name mentioned in the notice, and he is tied to at least one Level I and both Level II violations. These are the only details we know about the investigation, but we also have some background information to help put the pieces together.
The catalyst for these accusations was Memphis' handling of top recruit James Wiseman from 2017 to 2019. Hardaway reportedly paid for Wiseman's family's moving expenses (among other financial aid) before taking the Memphis job, which violates the NCAA's booster rules and may have impacted Wiseman's decision to attend the university.
Before the NCAA could act, Wiseman hired an attorney and filed a restraining order, while Memphis played him in three games while he was still ineligible. This act of defiance did not bode well for the university and eliminated the chance of a peaceful resolution with the IARP. Wiseman has since moved on to the NBA, and his role and potential punishment remain unclear.
University of Memphis' Response
Memphis released a public statement in response to the allegations:
"The case presents alleged infractions involving the University of Memphis ... that are overcharged and combined with non-violations, accusations involving a separate sport [football] that has not been charged, information UM self-reported, and pandemic-related events over which the parties had no control," it said. "The facts do not demonstrate a lack of institutional control, a failure to monitor, a failure to cooperate, or a lack of ... responsibility."
The university added that Wiseman had no knowledge of Hardaway's financial transactions with his family and challenged the NCAA to provide specific facts to support the accusations.
Potential Repercussions
If the NCAA finds Memphis guilty of these Level I and II violations, the possibility of program termination is certainly on the table. Five other programs faced "the death penalty" after Level I violations, most notably the Southern Methodist football team in 1987. The NCAA can reinstate the program after one year or prolong the punishment for as long as necessary.
The death penalty is the worst-case scenario for Memphis. Based on past NCAA responses to similar cases, the team would likely face these punishments instead:
- Job termination for Hardaway and his staff
- Redaction of wins during Hardaway's tenure
- Suspensions for active players involved in the violations
- Fewer annual scholarships for the men's basketball program
- Limited home games (or none at all) for a predetermined amount of time
- Various suspensions and job terminations for involved/complicit university officials
- Substantial fines for Memphis University
These punishments would create a shockwave throughout the university and basketball as a whole. Memphis would plummet in the national rankings and players that Hardaway recruited would transfer, changing the landscape of college basketball for several years. But most importantly, the basketball world would lose a beloved figure.
Hardaway's talent and athleticism were both ahead of the game, and many put him among the NBA's all-time greats despite his short career. College basketball's integrity has already come under fire with recent scandals in Louisville and Arizona, but those situations didn't involve an icon of the sport like Hardaway. His guilt would cause great pain to the entire basketball community.
Next Steps in the Investigation
Now that the NCAA has formally accused Memphis, the university has no choice but to cooperate in the investigation. We don't know how long the process will take, but judging by the scope and severity of the allegations, it could take many months before we hear explicit details and get a final verdict. For now, we can only wait and hope that Memphis men's basketball survives the ordeal.
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