Penny Hardaway, Mike Miller implicated in Memphis basketball scandal

Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway is under increasing scrutiny after the NCAA delivered a notice of allegations to the basketball program. Another former NBA player has been implicated as well.

Multiple reports indicated Saturday that Memphis is facing at least four Level I violations, the most serious infractions the NCAA can allege. The charges are related to lack of institutional control, head-coaching responsibility and failure to monitor.

Hardaway is the only individual named in the reports, according to Jason Munz and Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. According to the notice, Hardaway “failed to demonstrate that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance within the men’s basketball program.” Memphis has disputed the NCAA’s characterization.

Longtime NBA player Mike Miller is also linked to the investigation, but he is not facing any allegations of any wrongdoing. The NCAA alleges that Memphis failed to cooperate with the investigation by not preserving data from the hard drive of a former assistant coach. That coach was Miller, according to the Commercial Appeal. Miller spent two seasons as an assistant under Hardaway and became noted for his recruiting skill. He left the school in June 2020. The NCAA appears to suggest that the university was responsible for not preserving his data, and that Miller was not involved.

Hardaway faces the most significant issues from the probe. Some of the infractions are linked to his involvement with former center James Wiseman, whose family received money from Hardaway before Hardaway became head coach. Memphis did not help matters by playing Wiseman despite questions about his eligibility. The allegations against Hardaway extend beyond Wiseman, however, and could land the coach in serious trouble.