Memphis releases letter alleging NCAA violations while Penny Hardaway fires 4 people

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway fired three assistants and a staff member two months before the Tigers' season opener. The university also confirmed that officials submitted an anonymous letter to the NCAA alleging numerous violations in its program.

Hardaway announced Wednesday morning that assistant coaches Rick Stansbury, Faragi Phillips and Jamie Rosser, as well as special adviser Demetrius Dyson, are leaving. Hardaway called it a “difficult decision” to move in a new direction with the season opener against Missouri on Nov. 4.

“The timing is not ideal, but I want to give this team the best opportunity to achieve our goals of winning the American Conference and advancing in the NCAA Tournament,” Hardaway said in a statement. “With the season quickly approaching, we will move quickly to complete the roster.”

Then things got worse on Wednesday night when SI.com reported that the university was aware of an anonymous letter accusing Hardaway of personal involvement in player recruitment and academic violations.

“The University of Memphis is aware of the anonymous letter and has forwarded it to the NCAA,” Memphis spokeswoman Michele Ehrhart confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press on Thursday.

Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch left the team in April to take the same job in Missouri. In June, Memphis hired Ed Scott from Virginia as the Tigers' new athletic director.

Hardaway has had more than one run-in with the NCAA since being hired as head coach at his alma mater in March 2018. The two-time All-American was a four-time NBA All-Star after being selected No. 3 overall in the 1993 NBA Draft.

He has a 133-62 record in six seasons and two NCAA tournament appearances. The Tigers missed the tournament last season despite a 22-10 record. They won the 2023 American Athletic Conference tournament, securing an automatic berth.

An NCAA infractions panel suspended Hardaway for three games early last season for recruiting rule violations related to two home visits to a prospect two years ago. Memphis previously reached a negotiated settlement in December 2022 that allowed him to settle the case and begin probation while an individual contested the level of the charges.

That was Hardaway, who was charged under rules governing the responsibility of head coaches for their conduct within their programs.

Memphis also faced a separate 2019 NCAA investigation related to the recruitment and very brief college stay of center James Wiseman, who moved from Nashville to Memphis to play for Hardaway in high school. Wiseman played just three games before the NCAA investigation was announced.

That case ultimately resulted in the NCAA punishing Memphis with three years' probation, a public reprimand and a fine, but no postseason ban or individual punishment for Hardaway.