The NCAA announced that University of Memphis freshman James Wiseman has been suspended for 12 games. Wiseman has been suspended due to his family accepting incentives during the recruiting process. Wiseman will not be able to play until Jan 12.
The NCAA is also requiring Wiseman to pay $11,500 to a charity of his choice. $11,500 was the amount that Wiseman’s mother was paid in order to cover moving costs in 2017. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway paid Wiseman’s mother before he’d become a coach.
Due to Hardaway donating $1 million to the Penny Hardaway Athletic Hall of Fame, by NCAA definition, this makes Hardaway a booster, although Hardaway had a previous relationship with Wiseman and his family. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“The benefit was impermissible because of Hardaway’s status as a Memphis booster,” the NCAA said in their released statement. “Hardaway had made donations to the school in the past, including $1 million to help the Penny Hardaway Athletic Hall of Fame at the school. Boosters cannot provide financial assistance to prospective student-athletes, their family members, or friends unless that assistance is generally available to other members of the student body and is not given on athletics ability.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
After the NCAA announced it’s final decision, the school released a statement announcing the plan to appeal the decision, saying there is a “more fair and equitable resolution.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Wiseman previously filed a suit against the university as well as the NCAA in order to argue the ruling but withdrew, hoping for a more convenient decision. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Wiseman is a potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick and was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2019 recruiting class.
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