Memphis Reports Sending Letter to NCAA Accusing of Severe Violations
One day after coach Penny Hardaway terminated four members of his staff, Memphis officially acknowledged the existence of an anonymous letter accusing the men's basketball program of major recruiting and academic violations.
"The University of Memphis is cognizant of the anonymous letter and has shared it with the NCAA," stated Memphis spokesperson Michele Ehrhart in a statement to various media outlets.
The letter purportedly details Hardaway's personal involvement in the NCAA infractions.
It remains unclear how these allegations may be linked to Hardaway's abrupt decision to dismiss assistant coaches Rick Stansbury, Faragi Phillips, and Jamie Rosser, as well as special advisor Demetrius Dyson, just two months before the start of the 2024-25 season.
"These are exceptional coaches with whom I have closely collaborated over the past few seasons, but I have made the difficult choice to take a new direction with our staff," said Hardaway in a statement on Wednesday. "The timing is not ideal, but I want to give this team the best opportunity to achieve our objectives of winning the American Conference and advancing in the NCAA Tournament. With the season rapidly approaching, we will move swiftly to finalize the staff."
As of now, Hardaway, who was a standout player at Memphis from 1991-93, has not commented on Thursday's developments.
The 53-year-old Hardaway has guided Memphis to only two NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons since taking over at his alma mater in 2018-19.
His tenure has also been marred by multiple NCAA investigations into alleged recruiting violations, resulting in a three-game suspension for the beginning of the 2023-24 season.
