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2020 NBA Draft prospect James Wiseman cited an inability to pay back the $11,500 he was suspended for and the threat of potential injury as reasons for ending his college career prematurely.
Wiseman received a 12-game suspension from the NCAA and was scheduled to be eligible again in January. However, the youngster announced on Instagram his decision to leave Memphis after playing in just three games and instead prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft:
“It was a bit surreal because I couldn't use a GoFundMe page that [ESPN's] Jay Williams put out for me, obviously,” Wiseman told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. “I couldn't use any outside sources. I had to get [the money] on my own, and that was pretty impossible because I didn't have the money. I was just a regular college student.”
In three games this season with Memphis, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds. He shot 76.9 percent from the field and 70.4 percent from the free-throw line.
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Wiseman was the top high-school recruit in his class. He signed with agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, who has a client list which includes NBA stars such as Blake Griffin, Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton, Kevin Love, C.J. McCollum, Nikola Jokic and Andre Drummond.
It’s pretty easy to see why so many people have issues with the NCAA. All Wiseman did was receive money from head coach Penny Hardaway, who provided $11,500 in moving expenses during the summer of 2017 to assist Wiseman’s family in their relocation to Memphis. At the time, Hardaway was not the coach of the team.
NBA teams are hoping James Wiseman doesn’t end up on the Golden State Warriors, who will likely be good again next season once Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson suit up.
