James Wiseman Leaves Memphis to Prepare For 2020 NBA Draft

Everything that transpired between James Wiseman, Memphis, and the NCAA was for naught. Shams Charnia reported on Thursday afternoon that Wiseman would forgo the remainder of his freshman year by leaving the university to sign with an agent and prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft.

Potential No. 1 pick James Wiseman of Memphis has left the university, will sign with an agent and begin preparing for 2020 NBA draft.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 19, 2019

Wiseman himself announced the decision via an Instagram post:

View this post on Instagram

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. I want to thank the coaches and staff for all their support and my teammates for pushing me everyday 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. #GoTigersGo ???

A post shared by James Wiseman (@bigticket_j13) on Dec 19, 2019 at 11:41am PST

Wiseman played only three games for Memphis before he was sidelined due to potential recruiting violations by head coach Penny Hardaway. After much back-and-forth, the university and the NCAA came to a middle ground where Wiseman would be suspended for 12 games but would be allowed to return later in the season.

Wiseman is a top-five prospect in this year's draft and a potential No. 1 overall pick. Many sets of eyes would have been on him in the latter half of the season and potentially the NCAA tournament, but now teams must go off the three games' worth of tape and his private workouts to determine if he's the prospect for them.