Potential No. 1 pick James Wiseman has left the University of Memphis, slated to sign with an agent and begin preparing for 2020 NBA Draft, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The freshman center was suspended by the NCAA for 12 games and tasked with making a substantial monetary charity contribution ($11,500) for violating the laws of student-athlete non-compensation, which has derailed part of his freshman season at Memphis.
Wiseman chose to challenge the NCAA's ruling at first, but ultimately wound up accepting the sanction.
The 7-foot-1 center began informing Memphis coaches in recent days about his decision to leave the school and sign with an agent to start his process and prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft. Wiseman is already eligible, having played his first year of college, even if it was thwarted by the NCAA.
Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway pushed hard to keep his star recruit, but the NCAA's decision to not only discipline him but fine him, caused him to leave the school for good.
This news will be a bucket of ice-cold water in the face of the NCAA, which opted to punish Wiseman in ways that were unprecedented to any other student-athlete. Many college basketball analysts believed their decision to fine Wiseman stemmed from his choice to challenge their decision and not sit when his suspension was first announced, instead choosing to play against the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Oregon before allowing the process to continue.
Wiseman put up averages of 19.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game during a brief three-game college career.
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