Memphis Sees National Championship Odds Fall to +2200 With James Wiseman Leaving School
- James Wiseman announced Thursday that he’s leaving the Memphis Tigers to prep for the 2020 NBA Draft
- Wiseman is expected to be the #1 pick in the draft
- Oddsmakers list the Tigers as co-11th betting choice to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship
It’s nearly that time of year when the three wise men showed up but in Memphis, the departure of one Wiseman has rocked the world of the Tigers.
Memphis Tigers freshman James Wiseman announced on Thursday that he was leaving school to focus his energy on preparing for the 2020 NBA Draft. Wiseman is a certain lottery pick. Many NBA mock drafts list him as going first overall.
The Tigers were also considered a strong contender to finish first in the 2019-20 NCAA Championship. However, the news of Wiseman’s departure has hurt their NCAA Championship odds.
At the beginning of the day, Memphis was given average odds of +1600 across the leading sportsbooks, good for third overall on the board. The Tigers are now co-11th betting choice along with Virginia at +2200.
Odds To Win 2019-20 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
| School | Odds |
|---|---|
| Duke | +900 |
| Louisville | +900 |
| Kansas | +1000 |
| Ohio State | +1200 |
| Kentucky | +1400 |
| Michigan State | +1400 |
| Gonzaga | +1600 |
| Maryland | +1800 |
| Michigan | +1800 |
| Maryland | +1800 |
| North Carolina | +2000 |
| Memphis | +2200 |
Odds taken on Dec. 19
Oddsmakers list the Tigers as joint seventh betting choice at +1600 alongside Gonzaga.
Memphis Takes Another Hit
In an Instagram post, Wiseman made his announcement that he was leaving Memphis, citing that this was not how he’d expected his freshman season to go. He’d played in just three games.
In mid-November, Wiseman was suspended 12 games by the NCAA after it was learned that his mother had accepted $11,500 from current Memphis coach Penny Hardaway to assist with the family move from Memphis to Nashville.
The James Wiseman era at Memphis officially lasted 3 games. He gone. pic.twitter.com/LVEhN1IHJW
— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) December 19, 2019
Hardaway was coaching high school and AAU basketball at the time of the loan. Wiseman played on his team.
Tough Time For Tigers
Wiseman leaving is the second major departure this month of key assets to Memphis athletics. Mike Norvell, who led the Tigers to a school-best 11-1 season and a Cotton Bowl bid, departed to take the vacant head-coaching job at Florida State.
By turning pro, James Wiseman can now sign an endorsement deal and profit from his name, image and likeness without any worry about impact on his NCAA eligibility. This is a disappointing development for Memphis fans, but a reminder that amateurism rules could use some updating. https://t.co/wkMYajELwx
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) December 19, 2019
Wiseman, a 7-foot-1 center, was rated the #1 prospect among incoming NCAA basketball freshman.
Oh well, at least Memphis still has Graceland.
Wiseman Already a Star
There’s no questioning the fact that Wiseman was a valuable piece of the puzzle for the Tigers. He led the team in scoring. During his three games, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks.
Guys with 7-foot-6 wing spans don’t come around every day. He was the team’s top offensive rebounder and a ferocious rim defender.
Tigers Won’t Go In Tank
Memphis is 9-1. The Tigers are currently ranked #11 in the AP Top 25 poll.
They were 2-1 with Wiseman in the lineup and 7-0 without him playing. The Tigers’ 2019 recruiting class was rated #1 in the NCAA, so the cupboard isn’t exactly bare minus Wiseman. They also play a soft schedule the rest of the way, with no currently ranked teams remaining on the schedule as we move into conference play.
James Wiseman has LEFT MEMPHIS to begin preparing for 2020 NBA Draft ? (per @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/hpMPT8mAmT
— Overtime (@overtime) December 19, 2019
Without Wiseman, Hardaway is going small. That’s seen 6-foot-9 freshman forward Precious Achiuwa manning the five. He was among the top rebounders in high school basketball last season.
Memphis is in some ways similar to last season’s Duke Blue Devils. The Tigers are a young team built around the nation’s best recruiting class. Wiseman is their version of Zion Williamson.
The NCAA just lost one of its biggest draws because of a situation it mismanaged. Logical, smart move for James Wiseman. Feel bad for Memphis.
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) December 19, 2019
When Williamson was injured last season, Duke wasn’t anywhere near the same team.
As Duke showed last season, betting on young teams to win is often a frustrating exercise.
Memphis was a longshot March Madness bet with Wiseman. Wagering on the Tigers minus him is a foolish exercise.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
