Memphis Tigers Basketball

The No. 14 Memphis Tigers got to benefit from freshman center James Wiseman for at least one more game as they topped the University of Illinois at Chicago Flames 92-46 Friday night at FedExForum. 

Earlier Friday, lawyer Leslie Ballin told reporters that Wiseman had been ruled ineligible by the NCAA because head coach Penny Hardaway helped Wiseman's family financially in their move to Memphis in 2018. As a result, the NCAA classified Hardaway a booster.

Soon after, however, the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Jason Munz and Mark Giannotto reported that a judge had "ruled to put a hold on the NCAA's ruling, pending further litigation." That made Wiseman eligible for Friday night's contest.

ESPN's projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft looked every bit himself on the court despite everything else with 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks and one steal:

What's more important to the Tigers than their 2-0 record is Wiseman's availability beyond his hearing that The Athletic's John Martin reported is scheduled for Nov. 18.

In the meantime, Memphis released a statement regarding the developing situation:

Wiseman was slated to be the central piece of the Tigers' team this season as ESPN's projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. His talent would be impossible for Hardaway to replace at center, but Memphis' top-ranked 2019 freshman class showed promise beyond Wiseman against UIC. 

Freshman guard Boogie Elis led the team with 22 points. In terms of the frontcourt, freshman forward Precious Achiuwa figures to shift to the 5 should Wiseman's ineligibility be upheld. Achiuwa posted 10 points, seven rebounds and one block against the Flames, while fellow freshman forward D.J. Jeffries added 14 points, four rebounds and two steals off the bench.

Before the likes of Wiseman, Elis, Achiuwa and Jeffries arrived on campus, Hardaway proved he knows how to succeed last season. The second-year head coach led the Tigers to a 22-14 record in 2018-19, but this season's squad had NCAA Tournament aspirations. 

Those expectations aren't totally evaporated without Wiseman given the strength of Hardaway's freshman class, but they are severely altered. 

The real gauge for what the Tigers' ceiling without Wiseman could be will begin against the No. 15 Oregon Ducks. 

What's Next? 

Memphis (2-0) will have a much more difficult task against No. 15 Oregon on Tuesday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon and await the results of Wiseman's hearing on Nov. 18. 

UIC (1-1) next faces Ball State on Wednesday.

Memphis big man and potential No. 1 NBA draft pick James Wiseman will take in part in a hearing to determine his NCAA eligibility, per attorney Randy Fishman to John Martin of The Athletic. 

"The wheels of justice are moving right along," Fishman said.

When asked whether he felt confident about Wiseman being ruled eligible, Fishman told Martin, "We wouldn't have filed the lawsuit if we didn't feel confident."

After Friday's win over Illinois-Chicago, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway told reporters Wiseman will continue to play.

On Friday, attorney Leslie Ballin told reporters that Wiseman, who dropped 28 points and 11 rebounds in his collegiate debut versus South Carolina State on Tuesday, was declared ineligible by the NCAA:

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the NCAA claims that Hardaway helped to pay for Wiseman and his family to move to Memphis when Wiseman was still in high school. 

However, Ballin said a Shelby County judge put a hold on the NCAA's ruling pending further litigation, per Mark Giannotto and Jason Munz of the Commercial Appeal. That meant Wiseman was eligible to play Friday at home versus the University of Illinois-Chicago.

The NCAA's ineligibility decision runs counter to their call in May on the same issue, as Wiseman was declared eligible and expected to suit up for the Tigers.

However, the Associated Press reported that "more information and investigation led to information that Hardaway, who was then coach of East High School, gave $11,500 in moving expenses."

Jon Garcia of the Commercial Appeal reported that the help occurred in 2017, when Hardaway was the coach of East High School in Memphis.

According to Garcia, the issue is that the NCAA considered Hardaway a booster, defined by the NCAA as one who "plays a role in providing student-athletes with a positive experience through their enthusiastic efforts."

Per Garcia, "boosters are not permitted to encourage a prospect's participation in a particular university's athletics, or provide benefits to prospects that were not previously provided."

Dana O'Neil of The Athletic provided additional context:

The Wiseman decision brought forth a host of critics on Twitter, including ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and Bomani Jones:

The news also comes after another high-profile college sports star, Ohio State football defensive end Chase Young, will sit against Maryland on Saturday as the NCAA investigates a loan he received from a family friend in 2018, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach.

The lawyers for University of Memphis center James Wiseman announced Friday that he has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Memphis attorney Leslie Ballin added that a Shelby County court judge placed a hold on the NCAA's ruling, however, meaning Wiseman can play Friday night against the Illinois-Chicago Flames, per Jason Munz and Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

After Friday's win, head coach Penny Hardaway told reporters Wiseman will continue to play while the process plays out.

According to Sudu Upadhyay of WMC Action News 5, Ballin said Hardaway financed Wiseman and his family's move to Memphis while Wiseman was in high school, and although it occurred before Hardaway became the head coach at Memphis, the NCAA has labeled him a booster.

Wiseman was rated as the No. 1 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class by 247Sports and is considered a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA draft.

In Memphis' 97-64 season-opening win over South Carolina State on Tuesday, Wiseman scored a game-high 28 points and added 11 rebounds in 22 minutes.

According to Giannotto, the NCAA ruled Wiseman eligible in May only to reverse course and deem him ineligible Tuesday. As a result, Wiseman is suing the NCAA.

The 7'1", 240-pound Wiseman began his high school career at Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee, before attending Memphis East in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2017. Wiseman transferred after playing for Hardaway's Team Penny in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.

Wiseman was initially ruled ineligible to play at Memphis East, since Hardaway was an assistant coach at the school and their relationship was deemed a "coach link." The decision was overturned, however, because the rule was "not clear in its application."

Hardaway was hired as the head coach at Memphis in March 2018, and he secured a commitment from Wiseman shortly thereafter.

After going 22-14 and reaching the second round of the NIT in Hardaway's first season at the helm, Memphis entered the 2019-20 season as the No. 14-ranked team in the nation. That was largely based on the fact that 247Sports had Memphis No. 1 in the 2019 recruiting class rankings with two 5-star commitments (including Wiseman) and five 4-star commitments.

If the hold expires and Wiseman does eventually get banned from playing, fellow 5-star freshman Precious Achiuwa is the top candidate to step into the role of go-to guy for Memphis after registering 14 points and eight boards against South Carolina State.

Forwards Lance Thomas and D.J. Jeffries also figure to play a bigger role after coming off the bench in the opener.

The Memphis Tigers finished in fifth place in the American Athletic Conference and missed the NCAA men's basketball tournament in Penny Hardaway's first season, but the head coach is not shy about where he thinks his team will end up in 2019-20.

He told Dana O'Neil of The Athletic:

"What do I know? I know when I have something special. When I see this group in action, see their abilities, I know what's at stake and I know what's out there. The teams like Michigan State, Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, all the usual suspects. I've studied the film. I know who they are, but when I look at this group, I just say to myself, 'We're going to win a national championship.' That's what I know."

Even though it missed out on the Big Dance, Memphis made strides at the end of last season and won six of its final eight games before the NIT. The two losses were by a combined five points to nationally ranked foes Cincinnati and Houston.

But the momentum from the end of Hardaway's first campaign is not why the head coach is so confident.

He landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for the 2019 cycle, per 247Sports' composite rankings. It features 5-star players in big man James Wiseman and forward Precious Achiuwa and 4-star players in guards Boogie Ellis, Damion Baugh and Lester Quinones, forward DJ Jeffries, and center Malcolm Dandridge.

"If five freshmen earn those spots, I would have no problem with it," Hardaway said when discussing his potential starting lineup with reporters last week. "It's just [going to come down to] who is going to be the best at that position for us to win. ... They're going to battle it out in practice. And if it's five freshmen [who end up starting], I don't have a problem with that."

The NBA could be in the immediate future of some of the youngsters, especially Wiseman. The window for a championship is now, so there's a sense of urgency even though this is just Hardaway's second season at the helm.

The Tigers will be tested by nonconference games against Oregon, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Tennessee and Georgia, and they will hope to round into form by March.

Only then can they deliver on Hardaway’s expectations.

Precious Achiuwa is headed to Memphis after the 2019 prospect announced his commitment on Friday:

According to 247Sports, Achiuwa is a 5-star prospect ranked No. 14 overall in the country. He is considered the fourth-best small forward in the 2019 class.

The biggest reason for this lofty rating is his athleticism, with the ability to attack the basket and finish well above the rim. He has good enough handle to slash through the lane offensively, and there won't be many players at the college level who can contain him once he gets momentum.

"Some people say Rudy Gay," former coach Oz Cross said as a comparison, per Adam Zagoria of Zags Blog. "He's so long he's got such great upside.

"His ball-handling, shooting, passing and defense have improved tremendously since I first saw him play. He's a self-motivated kid so I expect him to make another jump. If he makes that jump and then he will be playing basketball for a long time."

His dunking might remind people of Zion Williamson, although he is not quite as strong at 6'9", 215 pounds. Still, he has enough strength to be a true 3 at the highest level of the sport.

With a developing outside shot, Achiuwa can be an almost unstoppable force on the offensive end.

He gave a brief preview of his skill at the McDonald's All-American Game when he scored a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds.

Although his brother, Gods'gift Achiuwa, was a quality player for St. John's from 2011-14, the younger sibling is clearly the superior talent and can make an early impact once he gets to college.

Memphis is coming off a solid first season under head coach Penny Hardaway with a 22-14 record, although the team fell short of the NCAA tournament. With most of the rotation graduating, there would ordinarily be some concern about next season.

However, the future is bright after already landing a commitment from No. 1 overall recruit James Wiseman. The team then added Boogie Ellis, DJ Jeffries and Lester Quinones among others to create one of the top recruiting classes in the country.

With Achiuwa now on board, next year's freshman class can legitimately carry the team to national title contention, similar to Duke and Kentucky over the past decade.

The Tigers have gone five years without reaching the Big Dance, but that should change in 2019-20.

Boogie Ellis, who is the No. 37 overall prospect and the No. 6 combo guard in the 247Sports' Composite Rankings for the 2019 class, has committed to Memphis:

The 4-star guard out of Mission Bay High School in San Diego signed with Duke on Nov. 9 but was granted his release from the Blue Devils on May 2, according to Evan Daniels of 247Sports. 

Ellis wrote the following regarding the decision, per Michael Model of the Duke Chronicle:

"I would like to thank Duke University and the coaching staff for recruiting me," Ellis stated. "However, after much thought and discussion with my family, I have decided to ask for my release and re-open my recruitment."

It's unclear why Ellis specifically decided to move on from Duke, but the Blue Devil backcourt would have been crowded with him in the mix.

Namely, point guard Tre Jones announced on April 8 that would be returning for his sophomore year. He'll almost certainly return to his starting role, and 4-star 6'5" shooting guard Cassius Stanley will likely join him to form Duke's starting backcourt.

Therefore, Ellis was best served to head to a school where he could carve out more playing time.

Teams naturally lined up to recruit Ellis shortly after the choice to leave Duke, per Adam Zagoria of Sportsnet New York:

247Sports' Director of College Basketball Scouting Jerry Meyer offered the following scouting report and provided a pro comparison to Orlando Magic floor general D.J. Augustin:

"Has average size for a point guard. Possesses quickness and slick ball handling. Can penetrate and make plays but greatest strength is shooting. Proficient from deep and in mid-range off the dribble and the catch. Capable of hounding the ball as an on-the-ball defender. Alert to snagging rebounds and quick to loose balls. All-around solid guard with NBA talent."

Ultimately, Duke's loss is Memphis' gain, as the Tigers bolstered what is already a promising recruiting class.

He will join center James Wiseman, power forward DJ Jeffries, shooting guard Lester Quinones, center Malcolm Dandridge and combo guard Damion Baugh. According to 247Sports, Wiseman is a 5-star prospect and the rest are 4-star players.

What's more, 3-star graduate transfer guard Rayjon Tucker is immediately eligible to play.

Memphis was just 22-14 and failed to reach the NCAA tournament in head coach Penny Hardaway's first season, but it hired him with this type of recruiting in mind. 

The Tigers figure to be national contenders and a frequent presence in the Top 25 rankings throughout the season on the back of this recruiting class, and Ellis gives them yet another piece to work with as they look to win the American Athletic Conference and re-establish themselves as Final Four threats. 

After being hired by the Memphis Tigers despite having no prior collegiate coaching experience, former NBA player Penny Hardaway is working on silencing his critics.

Hardaway said the following Monday, per WREG TV's Mike Ceide:

"I'm getting used to this as a coach because it's a little jealousy from a lot of these coaches around the country," Hardaway said. "I do understand that because we are NBA players trying to come back, and we didn't have any experience as college coaches. So we didn't quote, unquote, 'Pay our dues.' So the coaches and their so-called boys that are in the media, they're going to always throw jabs at us."

Hardaway's coaching staff features a number of former NBA players, including Sam Mitchell and Mike Miller. 

Hardaway, who attended Memphis from 1991 to 1993, was hired last March to replace 2003 NCAA Coach of the Year Tubby Smith, who was fired despite leading the Tigers to a 40-26 record in two years on the job. The four-time NBA All-Star isn't ruling out Smith's dismissal as a reason for some of the criticism.

"Maybe they were a friend of [Smith's], or maybe they thought that he was done wrong," Hardaway said, per the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Drew Hill. "But there's more attention on me around the country for a guy that's coming in his first year. And they know how hard that is."

The early results for the 47-year-old Hardaway have been mixed (13-7). However, he has landed the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2019 in 7-foot center James Wiseman.

Per ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello, Hardaway was involved in a war of words with Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes last month following a 102-92 loss to the Volunteers, though he didn't name any opposing coaches specifically this time around.

Hardaway added: "I'm not here to ruffle any feathers. I just want to win. We want to win."

For the 2019 class, 247Sports has Memphis ranked 12th thanks to one 5-star hard commit (Wiseman) and two 4-stars who have signed letters of intent (DJ Jeffries and Malcolm Dandridge).