James Wiseman’s college career was brief, playing just three games with the Memphis basketball program. It was then that potential recruiting violations by head coach Penny Hardaway were discovered and the NCAA made the decision to suspend the blue-chip prospect for 12 games.
However, Wiseman has made the decision to move on.
On Thursday, December 19, Wiseman announced that he has withdrawn from Memphis and will now put his attention towards preparing for the 2020 NBA Draft.
“Today I formally withdrew from the University of Memphis and I will be preparing for the next chapter of my life. Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been a dream of mine to play in the NBA. Throughout this process, I’ve asked God to ordain my steps and lead me in the right direction. God is my lord and salvation, and throughout this process he has comforted me. This was not how I expected my freshman season to be, but I’m thankful for everyone who has supported my family and me throughout this process,” Wiseman announced on Instagram.
“I want to thank the coaches and staff for all their support and my teammates for pushing me every day at practice. I feel blessed for the opportunity to be a Tiger and for having the honor to play with these special group of guys. I can’t wait to see what all they accomplish this season. The friends and fans of Tiger Nation will always hold a place in my heart.”
Wiseman is projected by many as a top-five pick in the upcoming draft class and he will undoubtedly be in the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick.
It would have been great to see Wiseman continue to fine-tune his skills at Memphis and showcase his talents in the NCAA Tournament, but the basketball gods had different plans.