Memphis, Penny Hardaway facing significant Level I allegations by NCAA

The Memphis Tigers and head coach Penny Hardaway are in serious trouble with the NCAA with the program facing multiple Level I and II infractions.

The James Wiseman-Memphis basketball saga just got a whole lot worse for the school and coach Penny Hardaway.

Thanks to reporting by Jason Munz and Mark Gionnotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who gained access to the NCAA’s amended notice of allegations against the program, we now know the Tigers are facing multiple Level I and II violations apparently relating to more than just the Wiseman situation.

The school has been accused of lack of institutional control and failure to monitor while Hardaway himself could face serious punishment.

Memphis, Penny Hardaway face serious NCAA allegations

Hardaway has been charged with one Level I violation, the highest in the NCAA’s four-tier system, and two Level II violations.

Details of the violations were redacted but the notice of allegations includes concern over an assistant coach’s computer hard drive. The data was deleted in 2020 and “the Institution failed to conduct an adequate investigation into why the computer’s hard drive was not preserved.”

Memphis is accused of obstructing the NCAA’s investigation and Hardaway was specifically targeted for failing to promote “an atmosphere of compliance” in his program.

The situation with Wiseman prompted an NCAA investigation because the player was ruled ineligible to play for the school as a freshman in 2019. The eligibility issue was over money Hardaway paid to help his family move to Memphis while he was in high school. That was in 2017, before Hardaway became the Tiger’s head coach.

Apparently, the investigation uncovered more than just that incident, which resulted in a suspension for Wiseman before he left the school to prepare for the NBA Draft.

Hardaway is under contract with Memphis until 2026 but a show-cause penalty could threaten his position. The Tigers also face a postseason ban and other penalties.

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