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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
Hours after Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway suddenly fired four staff members, the university confirmed the existence of an anonymous letter alleging serious NCAA violations within the Tigers’ program.
The letter, which was obtained by ESPN, alleges Hardaway’s personal involvement in potential recruiting and academic violations.
“The University of Memphis is aware of the anonymous letter, and it has been shared with the NCAA,” university spokesperson Michele Ehrhart said in a statement to ESPN.
Hardaway announced Wednesday morning — two months before the start of the college basketball season — that he was firing assistant coaches Rick Stansbury, Faragi Phillips and Jamie Rosser, as well as special adviser Demetrius Dyson. Neither Hardaway nor the school provided a reason for the firings, with Hardaway saying in a statement that he “made the difficult decision to go in a new direction with our staff” and acknowledging that “the timing is not ideal.”
It’s unclear whether the anonymous letter is related to the firings. Some of the alleged violations predate the Memphis tenure of at least two of the fired assistants, while none of the fired coaches was named in the letter.
This week’s drama increases the pressure on Hardaway, who is entering a critical season for his future with the Tigers. After starting 15-2 last season and being ranked as high as No. 10 in the AP poll, Memphis went 7-8 the rest of the way and missed the NCAA tournament.
Hardaway has been to the NCAA tournament just twice in six seasons at the helm of his alma mater, winning a first-round game over Boise State in the 2022 tournament.
The anonymous letter is the latest off-court issue during Hardaway’s tenure. There was an 18-month NCAA investigation due to alleged violations involving James Wiseman and other recruits; the independent accountability resolution process eventually concluded that Hardaway didn’t violate NCAA rules because of his long-standing philanthropy in Memphis.
Last summer, Hardaway was suspended three games by the NCAA for recruiting violations and violating head-coach responsibility rules in a separate investigation.
Toward the end of last season, senior Malcolm Dandridge missed the team’s final five games as the school conducted an investigation into his eligibility.
Memphis brings back just one scholarship player from last season’s team, as seven players transferred out of the program and star David Jones left early for the NBA draft. Eight Division-I transfers are entering the program. Prior to Wednesday’s firings, five staff members had already left the program this offseason.