James Wiseman's Eligibility Reinstated By Court
James Wiseman can play for Memphis. The NCAA's ruling of ineligibility has been put on hold by a judge pending further litigation.
BREAKING: Attorney says Shelby County judicial court judge just ruled to put a hold on NCAA's ineligibility ruling. pending further litigation.
— Jason Munz (@munzly) November 8, 2019
James Wiseman can play tonight.
This according to @mgiannotto https://t.co/KCQ0UWlMjV
Potential No. 1 NBA pick James Wiseman is now eligible to play for Memphis, pending further legal proceedings, attorney Leslie Ballin tells ESPN. Wiseman had been crying in his locker prior to receiving the news.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@SexyTroopLover) November 8, 2019
Wiseman, a freshman and a likely top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is immediately eligible and can play for Memphis Friday night.
The NCAA had ruled Wiseman ineligible after it discovered Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway had helped move his family to Memphis in 2018.
The NCAA ruled that Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway helped pay for James Wiseman and his family to move to Memphis while he was still in high school, which makes Hardaway a booster, according to Wiseman's lawyers. This will have huge implications for the 2020 NBA Draft. https://t.co/7G8BRrNChJ
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 8, 2019
The NCAA alleges Hardaway paid "thousands" of dollars in moving expenses when Wiseman's family moved from Nashville to Memphis in high school.
James Wiseman was ruled ineligible by NCAA on Nov. 5 after initially ruling him eligible in May. Per Wiseman’s attorney, NCAA alleges that Penny Hardaway paid for “thousands” of dollars in moving expenses when Wiseman moved from Nashville to Memphis in HS. Wiseman now suing NCAA.
— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) November 8, 2019
Shelby County's judicial court judge ruled to put a hold on the NCAA's ruling pending more litigation.
We'll see how this one plays out over the next few days and weeks but, as of Friday afternoon, Wiseman is eligible to play.