AAC Basketball

James Wiseman's college basketball career is over. The Memphis star announced Thursday on Instagram that he's leaving the school to prepare for the 2020 NBA draft:

"Ever since I was a little kid, it's been a dream of mine to play in the NBA. Throughout this process, I've asked God to ordain my steps and lead me in the right direction. God is my lord and salvation, and throughout this process he has comforted me. This was not how I expected my freshman season to be, but I'm thankful for everyone who has supported my family and me throughout this process."

BREAKING: James Wiseman announces on Instagram that he has leaving the University of Memphis to pursue NBA. pic.twitter.com/qurL9aLbxp

— Jalyn Souchek (@JalynSouchek) December 19, 2019

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Wiseman plans to hire an agent.

The New York Times' Adam Zagoria shared statements from the school and head coach Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway:

Penny and Memphis statements on James Wiseman pic.twitter.com/kbjrCpC8sv

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) December 19, 2019

Wiseman was the No. 1 player in the 2019 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. His commitment to Memphis was a coup for Hardaway, who's looking to make the Tigers a national power again.

He suited up for Memphis just three times, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. He was widely expected to head to the NBA after his freshman season, but his abrupt departure puts an obvious damper on the Tigers' 9-1 start.

Wiseman was the team's leading scorer and rebounder, albeit in limited action.

His decision comes as he was still serving a 12-game suspension issued by the NCAA, which was tied to $11,500 Hardaway gave his mother, Donzaleigh Artis, in 2017 to help the family move to Memphis from Nashville, Tennessee. Hardaway was coaching in high school and the AAU circuit—where Wiseman had played for him—at the time.

Some viewed Thursday's news as a referendum on the NCAA and another sign of how more players are pursuing alternative paths to the NBA:

Wiseman's decision aligns with what we've seen recently with many top prospects: Most are much more concerned with starting their "professional clocks" rather than playing college basketball. https://t.co/9gveGusyWl

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 19, 2019

Have to wonder how many recruits in the Class of 2020 consider going the pro route - Australia is hot! - so they can profit for a year before going to the NBA.

James Wiseman probably wishes he did what RJ Hampton did. Play vs pros, make money, then nba

— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) December 19, 2019

By turning pro, James Wiseman can now sign an endorsement deal and profit from his name, image and likeness without any worry about impact on his NCAA eligibility. This is a disappointing development for Memphis fans, but a reminder that amateurism rules could use some updating. https://t.co/wkMYajELwx

— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) December 19, 2019

Leaving Memphis now shouldn't hurt Wiseman's draft stock too much. The 2020 class lacks a standout star similar to Zion Williamson a year ago, and the top-end talent doesn't appear to be materializing.

In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Wiseman as the No. 3 overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Between his broad shoulders, length and bounce, he's a walking easy basket and rim protector who's able to play high above the rim for finishes, offensive putbacks and defensive plays in the paint," Wasserman wrote. "The Cavs would take their chances on his post game, mid-range touch and pick-and-roll coverage improving over time."

ESPN Stats & Info noted Kyrie Irving appeared in 11 games for Duke before the Cavs selected him first overall in 2011. That's the smallest college sample ever for a No. 1 draft pick.

Darius Garland was the No. 5 pick in 2019 as well despite playing in only five games as a freshman for Vanderbilt.

The drive from Memphis International Airport to the Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center—the sparkling $21 million state-of-the-art practice facility that the University of Memphis unveiled two years ago—takes no more than 15 minutes. Thirty when you stop for a plate of chopped pork shoulder.

Between thunderous thwacks of the cleaver that Miss Flora uses to chop meat behind the counter at Payne's Bar-B-Q, a family-run operation that's been flipping smoked meats out of a converted gas station in the Midtown neighborhood of Rozelle since 1972, Flora's son, Ron, and his nephew are talking sports while preparing plates of food. The topic? The same one being discussed on the local sports radio show on the ride over: Memphis Tigers basketball. Particularly, whether the school's top-ranked recruiting class, led by the 5-star freshman duo of James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa, can back up the national title talk from second-year head coach Penny Hardaway.

It's late July. In most media markets, with a PGA Tour event in town, football preseason days away and the newly minted face of the local NBA franchise (Grizzlies rookie point guard Ja Morant) making waves, college basketball would be low on the list of summertime sports topics. Not in Memphis. Perhaps the 2019 Tigers calendar—one of the few decorations that grace the hickory-smoke-stained walls at Payne's—was a sign.

"This program means so much to people in this city," says freshman forward Malcolm Dandridge, the first class of 2019 recruit to sign with Hardaway. Like his coach, and a long line of former Memphis stars, Dandridge was born and raised in Bluff City (so nicknamed because of the many bluffs that abut the Mississippi River near Memphis). "Memphis players are aggressive. We're not letting anybody dog us. That's what we're bringing back to this program."

Luckily for a city abuzz with title talk for the first time since Derrick Rose and John Calipari were still on campus more than a decade ago, many of Dandridge's teammates are not new to that line of thinking, or to one another. Of the 14 players on the Tigers roster, six are Memphis natives. Three more—Wiseman, Damion Baugh and D.J. Jeffries—played their high school or AAU ball in the city. Of those nine players, eight played for Hardaway, either at East High—where Hardaway led the Mustangs to three straight Tennessee state titles before taking the Memphis job in March 2018—or at the AAU level. And the team's few Memphis newcomers? New York natives Achiuwa and Lester Quinones have played together since middle school. Only San Diego native Boogie Ellis, a 4-star point guard who signed with Memphis after decommitting from Duke, has never played with his new teammates.

"I would've had the platform playing in the ACC, but ultimately none of that matters," Ellis says. "It's about who's got the best group and the best coach that's gonna let us rock."

Perhaps off-putting in some places, that type of confidence has the newcomers fitting in just fine in Memphis. "I didn't know what to expect, but they remind me of Memphis players with the toughness," said sophomore guard Alex Lomax, a two-time Tennessee Mr. Basketball (2016 and 2017) who has played for Hardaway since fifth grade. "They've got the same edge with a little different spice to it."

The result is a mix of talent and attitude that already has made Memphis a target of rival fans and drawn the scrutiny of the NCAA, which dealt the program a setback when it recently suspended Wiseman 12 games for a payment his mother received from Hardaway in 2017.

It isn't the first time the celebrated prospect has run into controversy with Hardaway. In the spring of 2017, Wiseman joined Hardaway's Team Penny grassroots program on the Nike EYBL circuit after he and his mother moved from Nashville to Memphis before his junior year of high school. He then enrolled to play under Hardaway at East High School, where he was initially ruled ineligible (largely because there was an "athletic coaching link" between the two beforehand) by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) before taking the state to court, getting a temporary restraining order that allowed him to play, and leading East to consecutive state title games.

A year after Wiseman's AAU appearance on Team Penny, Hardaway was hired by the Tigers to revive a program that had missed the NCAA tournament for four straight seasons. Whether spoken or not, the move was made with visions of tapping into Hardaway's talent pipeline, and no recruit was more important than Wiseman. Until early November, the grand plan was progressing without a hitch.

According to Wiseman's attorney, Leslie Ballin, the NCAA deemed Wiseman eligible in May but reversed course before the second game of this season. Hours before tipoff on November 8, the NCAA ruled Wiseman ineligible after further investigation revealed Hardaway had provided Wiseman's mother $11,500 to cover moving expenses in 2017. The university says Wiseman had no knowledge of the transaction, nor did Memphis believe an infraction had taken place since Hardaway was, at the time, a high school coach.

No matter what Memphis believed, the payment was a clear infraction because Hardaway was considered a booster thanks to a $1 million donation he gave the school in 2008 to build a sports hall of fame. Following the ruling, Wiseman and Hardaway raced to the Shelby County courthouse, where a judge ruled to put a hold on the suspension, pending further litigation. With both back by tipoff, Wiseman logged 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in a 92-46 win over the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. Four days later, Wiseman played again in an 82-74 Memphis loss to Oregon. But on November 14, Wiseman withdrew his lawsuit, and Memphis, while applying for his reinstatement, deemed him temporarily ineligible.

As far as NCAA infractions go, Wiseman's was mild, considering the context. The school had received feedback from the NCAA that it was playing a "likely ineligible" player. Yet, it played him anyway. Hence, what precedent suggested would be a nine-game suspension became 12, and a directive for Wiseman to pay $11,500 to charity followed. Wiseman is eligible to return on Jan. 12 at South Florida.

After a November 20 win over Arkansas-Little Rock, Hardaway told reporters he didn't think the punishments were fair. "Obviously, James should be on the floor," he said. "... [The NCAA makes] the rules, so we just have to abide by them."

None of that matters now. Wiseman is out, forced to pay back money that he doesn't make and that he apparently never knew he borrowed, and the problems for Hardaway may just be starting. According to reports, the NCAA Committee on Infractions is likely to bring more severe sanctions against Memphis in a larger investigation—one that could cost the school future scholarships and derail Hardaway's recruiting-trail panache.

When asked whether the university and athletic administration took these risks into account before deciding to play Wiseman and fight the NCAA, spokespersons for the team and university president David M. Rudd declined to comment. They also passed on answering whether in hiring a prominent booster as basketball coach, they did so while accepting that eligibility issues might follow him. Was that the cost of doing business? The school referred me to only its November 14 statement on Wiseman's status. "The NCAA is fully aware of the unique nature and challenges in this particular case, and the university is confident that the NCAA will render a fair and equitable decision consistent with its mission."

For most schools, Wiseman's absence might put the entire season in jeopardy. But this iteration of the Tigers is full of one-and-done talents already oozing with chemistry.

"It's mind-boggling to see how well everyone plays off each other," says Achiuwa, a 6'9" power forward and potential NBA lottery pick in 2020. "We're all starting with a clean slate. High school rankings don't matter anymore, but we have a chance to build something historic."

Like the Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett show at Duke last season, or the Trae Young experience in 2017-18, Memphis is this year's must-watch attraction in college basketball. With 26 nationally televised games, they've been hard to miss. And if we're talking sheer numbers—like the No. 1-ranked freshman class with two 5-star and five 4-star recruits—only one other college hoops team comes to mind: Michigan's Fab Five. These Tigers can't compete with the cultural influence of that freshman class, but a deep NCAA tournament run could reestablish Memphis as a college basketball power while solidifying the "Super Seven" as one of the best freshman classes ever. 

"I do think about that sometimes," Wiseman said in July, before the reignited interest in his eligibility threw everything in flux. "It's rare to have this much talent on one roster."

"We only have two goals," he continued. "Build everlasting relationships, and win a national championship this season."

---

A knowing swagger, learned from folks who've been down this road before, has bubbled over inside the Tigers' practice facility. Hardaway has been here, and a lot farther up the basketball chain, as has assistant Mike Miller.

"We're not traditional college guys," says Miller, a 17-year NBA vet and two-time champion with the Miami Heat. "We want to get these kids playing fast—as close to that NBA style of play as possible. That's what we know, and that's where they want to be. We brought the talent level up; now we have to teach them the way that the game is played [in the NBA.]"

The early steps in the Tigers' basketball education began as soon as they got on campus in July. First stop? The weight room. Over the summer, Hardaway hired Darby Rich as the team's strength and conditioning coach. A former teammate of Robert Horry and Latrell Sprewell's at Alabama, Rich trained Blake Griffin at Oklahoma and spent time working in the NFL. And while this team has its share of elite athletes—Rich sees some of Griffin's athleticism in Achiuwa, and he was shocked at how much Wiseman reminds him of Celtics center Robert Williams—there's no Zion-esque man-child on the roster. Not yet, anyway.

"They've got to understand that every team on the schedule is gonna try to punk them," Rich said. "What's the easiest way to beat young players? You bully them. So, we're trying to bulletproof their bodies."

No one needs more body armor than Achiuwa, who has inherited the rim-protection and rebounding responsibilities Wiseman had. He appears up for the challenge. In the six games since Wiseman's suspension began, Achiuwa has averaged 16.0 points and 11.0 rebounds, and was named AAC Player of the Week on Nov. 25.

"I've come a very long way," says Achiuwa, who was born in Nigeria, moved to the Bronx in eighth grade and finished high school at Montverde Academy in Florida. "I'm not done yet. I'm trying to make a name for myself now."

Achiuwa may possess the traditional role of enforcer, but according to Rich, the Tigers' trio of true freshman guards—Baugh, Ellis and Quinones—have taken it upon themselves to set the team's aggressive tone this season.

"They're savages," Rich said. "Their hunger is apparent in everything we do, and that attitude is bleeding over to the entire team. They'll try to kill you playing checkers."

---

The scene inside the Laurie-Walton basketball center is a far cry from the average collegiate athletic facility. Funded entirely by enthusiastic private donors—the same donors who jump at the chance to let Hardaway and Miller use their private jets for recruiting trips—the "LWC," as it's called, is more like an NBA training center.

"Penny likes to say that the LWC is undefeated," says Dr. Adam Walker, Memphis' senior associate athletic director of development. "Every time he brings a recruit here, he gets the commitment."

With good reason. The center includes a 12,000-square-foot practice gym, a state-of-the-art locker room and weight room, a dining hall, film room, study hall and a recovery center complete with a hydrotherapy pool. Past the iron tiger statue and 10 towering pillars that flank the front door, the vast, glass-enclosed lobby doubles as the Hall of Traditions, decked out with memorabilia from the team's past and murals of every Tigers player drafted into the NBA.

Lucky visitors may even glimpse the "Air Penny" shrine. Beyond the lobby, toward the practice gym in a hallway reserved for players, coaches and recruits, is the "Penny Room"—a circular neon blue-lit display room housing Hardaway's favorite signature shoes from over the years. Before the LeBrons and Kobes, Nike's Air Max Penny, aka Penny 1, became a sneaker phenomenon. The shoe remains one of Nike's most popular releases ever and one of the company's most successful shoes outside the Air Jordan. The Tigers, of course, have signed a deal with Nike through 2023.

"When you're an elite program, this is how you operate," Walker says. "It's the mystique of Penny, the shoe brand, the best of the best. We can't afford to skimp."

But Hardaway's icon status—and the university's willingness to let the coach operate unquestioned—is the kind of behavior that begs for NCAA oversight. Big recruits, and big money, will always bring big eyeballs. Hardaway has made "we want all the smoke" the team mantra, meaning they want the pressure or they want the fight, but so far Wiseman (who allegedly knew nothing about his coach's improprieties) is the only one who has had to pay a price for that attitude.

Those within the university and fans around seemingly welcome the heat. They've been down this road of backlogged NCAA sanctions with Calipari and Rose in 2008, and in talking to them it's easy to imagine they would much rather defend the memory of a bannerless national title than never contend at all. "We don't have the [Final Four] banner anymore, but fans in Memphis don't forget," Memphis native Alan Jankowski says.

Walker declined to comment on the Wiseman situation, but he did point out that the blemish has definitely not hindered support of the program from fans and donors. "Our support remains strong for our athletics department and basketball program," he says. "We have a loyal and passionate fanbase."

Back in the LWC lobby on this random Tuesday afternoon in late July, a few fans are milling through the Hall of Traditions. One of them, a middle-aged Memphis alum named Jim Graves, recently won an autographed basketball and a photo op with Hardaway for $750 at auction. He's hoping Hardaway will personalize the ball, and maybe even autograph the giant, cent-shaped paper Penny signs that he and his wife have brought along. They give them out to fans at the FedExForum.

"Last year, the Forum was filled just to support Penny," Graves said, "and support what he's doing. This year, it feels real. Like it did before Calipari left."

On the opposite end of the lobby, Wiseman and his mother chat it up with Coach Miller. Well, Wiseman's mother and Miller chat it up, really. The soft-spoken 7'1" teenage phenom smiles along, keeping a safe distance from the autograph seekers.

Eventually, the Graves and his family find Hardaway, and even get a tour.

---

Two-and-a-half months later, on an early October evening in front of 18,000 fans at Memphis Madness, Hardaway emerges from a riser, engulfed in smoke, wearing an "All the Smoke" hoodie as Future and Young Thug's "All da Smoke" blares through the Forum's speakers. The rest of the squad is there, too, of course, taking part in a team dunk contest. But it's clear Hardaway is the star.

After a season spent treading water, this marks the year that the Memphis brand is back. And to play the part, you've got to look the part. Thus, Memphis unveiled its new, blue home court. Supreme Bey, the artist formerly known as Chris Douglas-Roberts, returned to FedExForum for a Tigers function for the first time in a decade, and popular local rappers Young Dolph, Key Glock, Moneybagg Yo, plus Atlanta natives Lil Baby and Future all performed.

For the players, fans and local artists alike, a night like Memphis Madness means more than a concert or a dunk contest. It's the official sign that a program revival is about to unfold, and with it some long overdue shine for one of America's great, and at times forgotten, cities—warts and all. Tigers games are cool again, and have attracted an expanding roster of local celebrities, such as local rappers BlocBoy JB and Yo Gotti.

In some ways, record producer Tay Keith sees Memphis basketball as inspirational for a local rap scene that has too often been marred by territorial violence. "Basketball is different," he says. "It don't matter [what neighborhood] you're from, if you're from Memphis, we're supporting you."

That, in and of itself, is the most pivotal achievement of Hardaway's coaching career to date. 

With Hardaway and the Super Seven on campus, Memphis has begun to refortify tradition. A city that prides itself on being able to sniff out phonies has bought all the way back in, knowing that beneath Hardaway's bluster is the brand of swagger obtained through hard work and self-confidence.

"We've seen what this program was and what it fell to," says freshman swingman D.J. Jeffries. "All of us [freshmen] could have gone anywhere in the country. This is a great community that's been down for too long. It's time to restore the program."

   

Recruiting class ranking via 247Sports.

Matt Foley is a writer based in New York. His freelance work has been featured in SLAM, the New York Times, Ozy and theScore. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyfoles.

The NCAA upheld its 12-game suspension of Memphis freshman James Wiseman on Wednesday, meaning he will be eligible to return Jan. 12, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

The University of Memphis had appealed the NCAA's decision to suspend Wiseman due to the fact that current Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway gave Wiseman's mother, Donzaleigh Artis, money to aid in their relocation to Memphis, Tennessee, before Hardaway became the head coach at Memphis.

In addition to the suspension, Wiseman was also ordered to donate $11,500 to charity since it was the amount of money Hardaway gave his mother. That discipline was upheld as well.

Although Hardaway was not the head coach at Memphis at the time of the violation, the benefits were ruled impermissible by the NCAA since Hardaway was considered a Memphis booster due to donating money to the school multiple times.

When Memphis landed Wiseman, it was considered a major coup since 247Sports rated him as the No. 1 overall recruit in his class.

Wiseman appeared in one game for the Tigers before being ruled ineligible and then played in two more games after a judge granted a stay. In those three games, the 7'1" big man averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. Memphis also went 2-1.

Overall, the Tigers are 5-1 and are ranked No. 16 in the nation after having missed the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons.

With Wiseman out, Hardaway has relied on a trio of fellow freshmen in Precious Achiuwa, D.J. Jeffries and Lester Quinones, who are all averaging double figures in scoring.

Wiseman is in line to miss nine more games before returning for Memphis third American Athletic Conference game of the season against South Florida.

Memphis center James Wiseman will be suspended a total of 12 games before becoming eligible to play on Jan. 12, the NCAA announced Wednesday. 

The freshman is also required to donate $11,500 to a charity of his choice, based on the amount that his mother received from current Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway in 2017.

Wiseman already sat out Saturday's game against Alcorn State, which means he'll miss 11 mostly nonconference games before returning for the bulk of the American Athletic Conference season. He should make his return against South Florida on Jan. 12.

Wiseman tweeted his thoughts after the ruling: 

God has never left me nor forsake me throughout this process...Trust God, Keep the Faith, Stay the Course🙏🏾😁✍🏾

— James Wiseman (@BigTicket_JW) November 20, 2019

The discipline stems from before Hardaway was a coach at Memphis when he gave Wiseman's mother, Donzaleigh Artis, money for relocation and living expenses, per Jason Munz of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Hardaway was hired by the Tigers in 2018, but the past benefits were deemed impermissible because he was considered a Memphis booster after donating to the school on multiple occasions, including $1 million for the construction of a Hall of Fame.

In May, the NCAA ruled Wiseman eligible, and the school initially decided he would play despite the reversal of the decision. However, Wiseman will now serve a suspension for a significant part of what will likely be his only collegiate season.

The freshman was the No. 1 prospect in his recruiting class, per 247Sports. In three appearances this year, he is averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

While the Tigers will miss Wiseman for the next 11 games, they have several other high-upside freshmen on the roster between Lester Quinones, Precious Achiuwa and Boogie Ellis. When Wiseman returns, this squad could be dangerous both in the AAC and during a potential NCAA tournament run.

Memphis Tigers officials are hopeful that freshman center James Wiseman will miss no more than nine games as the NCAA investigates a possible violation regarding impermissible benefits, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

"The hope is he misses three, maybe six games," a source familiar with the situation told Charania.

Per Charania, Penny Hardaway provided Wiseman's family $11,500 in 2017 for moving expenses as it relocated to Memphis. Hardaway was not hired as Memphis' coach until March 2018, but the monetary gift could be a violation, as Hardaway was considered a booster.

Rated as the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2019 by 247Sports, Wiseman committed to Memphis in November 2018.

Wiseman's eligibility became a topic of conversation on Nov. 8, when the NCAA informed the Tigers that the 18-year-old is "likely ineligible." Though the Tigers initially intended to hold the big man out, they opted to continue playing him after an emergency temporary restraining order was issued.

James Wiseman playing tonight. Statement from @Memphis_MBB: pic.twitter.com/fLNc5oO4Ss

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) November 8, 2019

On Thursday, Wiseman's lawyers announced that they have pulled his lawsuit against the NCAA:

Lawyers for potential No. 1 pick James Wiseman have issued the following statement on withdrawing lawsuit against the NCAA and Memphis. pic.twitter.com/y7m6qjojyN

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 14, 2019

As a result, he was immediately ruled ineligible by Memphis. He will be permitted to practice with the team, but he will not play in any games until the eligibility issue is resolved.

Charania noted that Wiseman plans on re-filing the lawsuit if he is not allowed to return to the court this season.

Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in three appearances for the Tigers. Memphis went 2-1 with the frosh.

Wiseman is expected to be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Memphis Tigers star freshman James Wiseman has been declared ineligible by the university and will be withheld from playing while the school applies for reinstatement from the NCAA.

Memphis noted he will continue to practice while he awaits a ruling.

Full statement from The University of Memphis regarding Wiseman: pic.twitter.com/4TRKLUrDCB

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 14, 2019

Wiseman has withdrawn his lawsuit against the NCAA, his attorneys confirmed to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

They also released a statement on the situation:

Lawyers for potential No. 1 pick James Wiseman have issued the following statement on withdrawing lawsuit against the NCAA and Memphis. pic.twitter.com/y7m6qjojyN

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 14, 2019

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported that "the NCAA, Memphis and Wiseman's family came to the realization that it's in everybody's best interests to reach an agreement rather than continue a high-profile and contentious legal battle that was risky, on some level, for each party."

In 2017, current Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway gave Wiseman's family $11,500 to help with the costs of moving from Nashville to Memphis. Hardaway was not yet coaching Memphis, and the NCAA considered him a Memphis booster, therefore making it an infraction.

Wiseman, who played in the team's season opener before the NCAA's decision to rule him ineligible, obtained a temporary restraining order that allowed him to play in the following two games. He's been excellent, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 76.9 percent from the field.

Memphis has started the season 2-1.

Wiseman was 247Sports' No. 1 recruit in the class of 2019 and is widely considered a top-five prospect—and a candidate to be taken first overall—in the 2020 NBA draft. While NBA teams would surely like to get as much tape on him as possible, it's unlikely his draft stock would take a major hit if he were ruled ineligible for the entire season.

However, the Tigers' title hopes this season rest on whether Wiseman can play for them.

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.

Memphis fans cheered as James Wiseman was introduced as a starter less than an hour after he was ruled ineligible.

The team got an emergency restraining order to allow Wiseman to play. Watch UIC-Memphis live: https://t.co/0kOQkTF7HB pic.twitter.com/YJOYxpTDXw

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 9, 2019

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:

For all the shenanigans that took place in the pregame, James Wiseman looks nothing short of terrific. Always thought he had more potential as a shot blocker, showing that tonight. He rim runs with the best of them.

— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) November 9, 2019

We are eight months from the 2020 NBA Draft, but if that’s the last we’ve seen of James Wiseman in college then I can’t imagine he doesn’t go top two.

The competition wasn’t great, but he answered a lot of questions in two games.

— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) November 9, 2019

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:

James Wiseman playing tonight. Statement from @Memphis_MBB: pic.twitter.com/fLNc5oO4Ss

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) November 8, 2019

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:

James Wiseman was ruled ineligible by NCAA on Nov. 5 after initially ruling him eligible in May. Per Wiseman’s attorney, NCAA alleges that Penny Hardaway paid for “thousands” of dollars in moving expenses when Wiseman moved from Nashville to Memphis in HS. Wiseman now suing NCAA.

— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) November 8, 2019

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 bottom line: if Penny Hardaway did, in fact, give James Wiseman $11,500 to move it could be an extra benefit because, at the time, Penny could be considered a Memphis booster. That he's the coach now and so forth adds layers, but that's the crux of it.

— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) November 8, 2019

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

It’s official. The @NCAA is a damn travesty. This kid Wiseman is ineligible — after already starting the season — because COACH Penny Hardaway is a booster? This is straight B.S. no wonder @KingJames and so many others are so against the NCAA. Hey @NBA, I’ve got an idea:

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 8, 2019

Go ahead afterall and add a 3rd round in the @NBA draft. Just make sure to create a route where kids can finish their education, plus have an insurance policy for potential injuries. Enough with the @NCAA. They just need to go. They make me so sick. Why’d the kid start the season

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 8, 2019

james wiseman is one of the most interesting figures in this college basketball season. only the ncaa would look for a reason to take a guy like that off television. https://t.co/Ddyhg855Sb

— bomani (@bomani_jones) November 8, 2019

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.

James Wiseman playing tonight. Statement from @Memphis_MBB: pic.twitter.com/fLNc5oO4Ss

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) November 8, 2019

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.

Houston Cougars guard Quentin Grimes has been ruled eligible to play by the NCAA for the 2019-20 season after transferring from the Kansas Jayhawks in the offseason, according to multiple reports. 

Houston announces that guard Quentin Grimes has received a waiver to play immediately this season. Transferred from Kansas after last season. Former five-star recruit.

This makes Houston a clear-cut preseason top 25 team and legitimate AAC title contender.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) October 22, 2019

Quentin Grimes won immediately eligibility on the fact that there wasn’t a scholarship open for him at Kansas when he decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft, source told @Stadium. Told that KU supported him being eligible right away.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 22, 2019

Suffice to say, Grimes and his teammates were excited to learn the news on Tuesday:

Yesssssssuuuuuhhhhhhhh !

— Quentin Grimes (@qdotgrimes) October 22, 2019

#QFREE ITS TIME WE HERE🚀🚀🚀@qdotgrimes https://t.co/6HQDMj87GI

— Deeky Jarreau (@LaDeeky) October 22, 2019

THAT BOY FREEEE ! GO TIME 😤😤😤 @qdotgrimes

— Nate Hinton (@thatup_coming14) October 22, 2019

"I'm really happy for Quentin and his family," head coach Kelvin Sampson said following the news, per Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle. "I thank the NCAA for approving his waiver. We've got a lot of work to do, a long way to go, and we look forward to getting after it."

. @UHCougarMBK coach Kelvin Sampson on guard Quentin Grimes being eligible this season pic.twitter.com/UbXOpXi03R

— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) October 22, 2019

Grimes, 19, averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game with the Jayhawks last season, shooting 38.4 percent from the field and 34 percent from three. He started 36 games for Kansas, though his season ended in disappointment when Kansas was knocked out in the second round of the NCAA tournament by Auburn (granted, the Tigers did reach the championship game). 

Grimes initially declared for the NBA draft and attended the NBA Scouting Combine, but later pulled his name from consideration, choosing to return to college basketball. In June, however, he announced he was transferring from Kansas to Houston. 

.@UHCougarMBK guard Quentin Grimes (@qdotgrimes) will play for the Cougars this season after getting a waiver from the NCAA. His mother Tonja Stelly: "Good things come to those who do the right thing. We have a lot of emotions for many different reasons and we're very happy."

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) October 22, 2019

It's a big get for the Cougars, especially now that his eligibility for the upcoming season is assured. He was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school, the No. 10 player overall in the Class of 2019 and the No. 2 combo guard, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

And Houston appears like a team to be reckoned with this upcoming season with Grimes in the backcourt:

The addition of Quentin Grimes means that Houston is now a bonafide Top 15-20 team.

What else does it mean?

The Cougars --- not Memphis --- are now the team to beat in the American Conference.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 22, 2019

It's a good day down in Houston, in other words.