What James Wiseman said Penny Hardaway can do for Mikey Williams as Memphis basketball coach

James Wiseman knows Penny Hardaway.

The Golden State Warriors center played for the Memphis basketball coach for one season at East High School. Then, Hardaway successfully recruited Wiseman − the consensus No. 1 prospect in the country in 2019 − as the centerpiece of his first top-ranked signing class.

Even though Wiseman played just three games in a Memphis uniform before an NCAA investigation interrupted things, he knows what Hardaway can do for young, high-profile players who have NBA aspirations.

While Hardaway veered away from loading up on blue chippers like Wiseman last offseason, the Tigers' 2023 recruiting class already has a handful of signees, including 5-star combo guard Mikey Williams. The San Ysidro (California) star and social media sensation is the headliner of Memphis' class, which sits at No. 5, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Wiseman recently weighed in on the added value he believes Williams playing for Hardaway will do for the 26th-ranked recruit in the Class of 2023.

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“He (Hardaway) knows the game, and he’s been through the NBA experience," Wiseman told The Commercial Appeal this week. "He been through all the ups and downs. He knows the game a lot. A guard like Mikey Williams to be able to learn from Penny, that’s going to be a great experience for him and for his game as well.”

Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is expected to play Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Wiseman has missed the last 11 games with a left ankle sprain. In seven games this season, Wiseman is averaging 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Williams signed with the Tigers in November, along with 4-star wing JJ Taylor, 4-star wing Ashton Hardaway (Penny's son), 4-star guard Carl Cherenfant and 3-star guard Ryan Forrest. Four-star point guard Ty-Laur Johnson and 3-star wing David Tubek are verbally committed to Memphis but have not yet signed.

Commercial Appeal Grizzlies beat writer Damichael Cole contributed to this report.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.