James Wiseman Says He Will Leave Memphis and Enter the N.B.A. Draft

Wiseman was suspended because Memphis Coach Penny Hardaway gave Wiseman’s family $11,500 in moving expenses when Wiseman was in high school in 2017. Hardaway was the coach at Memphis East High School at the time, and Wiseman relocated from Nashville so he could play for him. The university said that Wiseman did not know about the payment to his family when it was provided.

“We wish nothing but the best for James in his future endeavors as he follows his dreams,” Hardaway said in the statement. “He will truly be missed.”

Hardaway became the Memphis coach in 2018, and Wiseman was the centerpiece of a recruiting class this year ranked as the best in college basketball. Part of Hardaway’s draw was his N.B.A. pedigree as a star guard for the Orlando Magic with a major Nike sponsorship, which allowed him to pitch his personal experience to athletes.

As he recruited, Hardaway caught Wiseman’s attention in part by wearing a different pair of sneakers during each visit.

“Yeah, I mean, because he had different kicks coming to my high school games almost every game, so I was like, man, it’s crazy,” Wiseman said before the season began. “So many exclusive kicks that I’ve never seen before that I don’t even have. And I’ve got a lot of shoes, too.”

Source: The New York Times

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