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Wiseman leaves Memphis to prepare for 2020 NBA Draft

Joe Murphy / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Potential No. 1 overall pick James Wiseman is leaving Memphis and will begin preparations for the 2020 NBA Draft, he announced Thursday.

Wiseman played three games for the Tigers before the NCAA suspended him 12 games for receiving $11,500 in moving expenses from now-Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway, who's deemed a booster by the organization as a result of his $1-million gift to the school in 2008.

The 7-foot-1, 240-pound Wiseman initially appealed his suspension and was able to play in a game after a judge issued a temporary restraining order on the NCAA's ruling. However, the ban was eventually upheld and Wiseman was also hit with a $11,500 fine to be donated to a charity of his choosing.

Wiseman went to Memphis as the top-ranked player in the country for the class of 2019, and he certainly didn't disappoint during his limited run with the Tigers. The Tennessee native averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and three blocks in two wins and one loss with the program.

If selected first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Wiseman will have played the fewest number of college games among all No. 1 picks who attended college. Kyrie Irving's 11-game career with Duke currently holds the record, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

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