Memphis Tigers men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway will not be able to begin the upcoming season with his team as the NCAA has suspended the coach for the first three games of the 2023-24 season.
The suspension comes after the NCAA determined that Penny Hardaway and his staff committed multiple recruiting violations.
“Memphis men’s basketball coaches committed recruiting violations when they participated in two impermissible in-home recruiting visits with a prospect during his junior year of high school,” the NCAA said in a statement according to WREG Memphis.
The University of Memphis Athletic Department addressed Hardaway’s suspension in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon.
We supported Coach Hardaway’s right to work directly with the NCAA on his portion of the case, and we strongly believe Coach Hardaway never intentionally committed a violation. The University of Memphis is committed to compliance. We will learn from this incident and be even more diligent in our education and monitoring. Now that the entirety of this case is finalized, we will move forward in support of Coach Hardaway and our men’s basketball program, as we do all our programs,” the statement read.
It’s big news in the world of sports, and it generated quite a buzz on social media with many believing the penalty was not strong enough.
NCAA dropping the hammer https://t.co/R22bE9iGSF pic.twitter.com/EhfNWLLHk4
— Semi-Retired Air Force Razorback (@AustinWakeham) June 21, 2023
Man has more NCAA violations than tournament wins at this point. https://t.co/VVZUhP4jwD
— Jordan (@FRESHticles) June 21, 2023
Hope that slap on the wrist didn’t sting too much https://t.co/n1EZx6UGci
— Jeff Gentil (@jgent15) June 21, 2023
Unrelated to the Wiseman stuff. This is for taking an in-home visit before it was permissable. https://t.co/U0lentmVyW
— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) June 21, 2023
Lol missing 3 buy games will sure teach him a lesson. https://t.co/aUkPiLWIq8
— Tom (@FlyerTom23) June 21, 2023
Penny breaking the rules?! Never
— Jon Moore (@JonMoore192) June 21, 2023
Oh no. How will Memphis possibly beat East Ontario State, Ogallala Tech, and Myrtle Beach State?!
— Jered Petrey (@jtpetrey) June 21, 2023
