Penny Hardaway gets blasted by the infractions panel leading to a 3-game suspension, "Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse"

The NCAA on Wednesday suspended Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway for three games for recruiting violations.

The NCAA said that Hardaway's "personal involvement in the violations and the failure to monitor his staff" was enough for the Committee on Infractions to suspend him for the first three games of the 2023-24 season.

Penny Hardaway was a sensational player for the Tigers during his Memphis playing career before becoming the No. 3 pick in the 1993 NBA draft. However, injuries cut the four-time All-Star's career short, and he never lived up to the billing of the player he once was.

Hardway didn't grow up molding himself as a basketball coach. Coaching became a second life in basketball for him.

Penny Hardaway's case

How will the Memphis coach respond?

Penny Hardaway said that "he should not be held responsible for the violations because he did not know NCAA rules prohibited in-person visits and the Memphis' compliance office failed appropriately train his director of recruiting," according to the report issued by the Committee on Infractions.

The NCAA panel came down on those excuses swiftly, calling the violations "careless" and saying that "ignorance of the rules is not an excuse."

Fallout surrounding Memphis

Memphis has plenty of off-the-court issues and suspensions

The optics aren't great for a university that has had its share of off-the-court issues, with recruit Mikey Williams facing preliminary gun charges.

Memphis releases statement

Is Penny Hardaway's reputation tarnished?

Memphis stood by Penny Hardaway following the NCAA's ruling by releasing a statement: "We strongly believe Coach Hardaway never intentionally committed a violation."

Memphis also stated that it is putting this issue behind it and moving forward with Penny Hardaway as its coach. Hardaway is facing no further reprimands.