According to a decision released on Tuesday, an Independent Accountability Resolution Process hearing panel found that the Memphis basketball coach did not violate NCAA rules when he provided benefits to three prospective student-athletes because of his long-standing philanthropy in Memphis.
The panel ruled that Memphis failed to monitor the education and activities of an athletics booster, provided impermissible extra benefits, conducted impermissible recruiting activities with prospective student-athletes and failed to cooperate with the investigative process.
The Memphis men's basketball team was placed on three years' probation and fined $5,000, plus 0.25 of a men's basketball budget, after the IARP concluded they committed several Level II violations.
The ruling can't be appealed under IARP rules.
"Now that the IARP has arrived at its final decision, we are ready to turn the page and continue supporting our coaches and student-athletes on the court and in the classroom," said Memphis vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. In our response to the Notice of Allegations, we noted that we had made efforts to improve our athletic compliance infrastructure. We are grateful to the IARP for reflecting that in its decision.
After an 18-month investigation, the program faced four Level I and two Level II violations. The NCAA alleged that Hardaway failed to demonstrate that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance within the men's basketball program and failed to monitor his staff.
Hardaway was accused of being involved in three violations.
The school acknowledged in November that Hardaway gave $11,500 to James and his family to move from Nashville to Memphis in the summer of 2017. Hardaway was Wiseman's coach at Memphis East High School.
The NCAA considered Hardaway a booster because of a $1 million donation he gave the school in 2008. The school said that Hardaway didn't know that he paid his family.
The NCAA found that his family had received improper benefits. A judge issued a restraining order to allow him to play. The NCAA said after the judge's ruling that James Wiseman is likely ineligible. The university is responsible for making sure its athletes are eligible to play.
According to the IARP, Memphis officials allowed him to play in a game even though he was ineligible.
In three games for the Tigers, the No. 1-ranked prospect in the class averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 Rebounds and 3.0 Blocks. The school declared him ineligible after he dropped his lawsuit against the NCAA. He was suspended for 12 games by the NCAA.
He left Memphis in December to get ready for the NBA draft. He was the second pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors and averaged over ten points and five boards in his first year.
The IARP said that the head coach's philanthropic involvement in the Memphis community began prior to becoming an athletics booster in 2008 and before he was hired by Memphis as its head coach. The case decision references numerous gifts and financial assistance provided by the head coach to many members of the Memphis community from the time he entered the NBA until he became Memphis' head coach.
The benefits provided by the head coach to the three prospective student-athletes were not recruiting inducements. The head coach had a long-standing philanthropic commitment to youth in the economically disadvantaged Memphis community before he became an athletics booster. The benefits provided by the head coach were permissible because they were generally available to all prospective students of Memphis.
"We have finally arrived at the end of an extremely challenging period, and I could not be more thankful," Hardaway said in a statement. I want to thank our players and their families, as well as our coaches and support staff, for remaining focused on what we could control as this process lingered. This was not easy but the group had faith.
The facts of our case were presented by our University and athletic department leaders. The IARP allowed us to present the facts and make a decision based on them. We need to put this behind us. We can't wait to share our successes as one Memphis.
Hardaway has a four-year record of 85-43 and led the team to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
On November 7th, Memphis opens the season at Vandy.
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