Memphis, Hardaway charged with multiple major NCAA violations

Memphis is facing seven charges of violating NCAA rules - including at least four Level I violations, the most severe class of infraction - following an NCAA investigation, according to documents obtained by the Daily Memphian's Steven Johnson.

The charges also include two Level II violations and one violation in which the severity of alleged malfeasance has been redacted.

Coach Penny Hardaway specifically is attached to at least one Level I and two Level II violations for failure "to demonstrate that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance" during the period spanning May 2019 to February 2021, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Jason Munz and Mark Giannotto.

Other names have been redacted from the NCAA's notice of allegations and the amended notice of allegations prepared by the Independent Accountability Resolution Process.

As Johnson notes, that timeline aligns in part with former Tigers center James Wiseman's freshman season - though the scope of the investigation extends beyond the current Golden State Warriors center, according to Munz and Giannotto.

The Tennessee native played just three games for Memphis in 2019-20 due to eligibility issues and suspensions stemming from the $11,500 his family received from Hardaway in 2017 - funds purportedly meant to help cover moving expenses as they relocated from Nashville.

Hardaway was coaching Memphis' East High School at the time, where Wiseman would go on to star. Wiseman had previously also played for Hardaway's Team Penny grassroots basketball program.

Though the financial assistance occurred prior to the former NBA All-Star becoming Memphis' head coach in 2018 - and apparently without Wiseman's knowledge - Hardaway was deemed a booster of the program because of his $1-million donation to the school in 2008, per ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

Wiseman did not return for a sophomore season. He was selected second overall by the Warriors in the 2020 NBA Draft.