NCAA Denies 27-Year-Old Memphis Forward DeAndre Williams' Request for Extra Year of Eligibility for Second Time

Athlete's appeal centered around allegations of academic misadvisement prior to 2018 enrollment; the NCAA counts his inactive 2018-19 "year-in-residence" season against his eligibility, ending his Memphis career.

The NCAA has denied for a second time the appeal of 27-year-old Memphis player DeAndre Williams for an extra year of college eligibility. The university had resubmitted the claim with additional documents and upon denial, appealed the decision.
Williams' case centered around allegations of 'academic misadvisement' before his first year in college, due to which he pushed back his freshman year to 2018 and was inactive for the 2018-19 season. However, this inactive year was counted against his eligibility by the NCAA.
The denial concludes a process of 'multiple months of back-and-forth' where Memphis provided evidence and additional information to support the appeal, but the NCAA reached a different conclusion.
Without Williams, only two players, Jayden Hardaway and Malcolm Dandridge, are expected to return for the upcoming season. Williams' career at Memphis ends with 1,153 points, 558 rebounds, 219 assists and 22 double-doubles in 82 games.
Despite this setback, the University of Memphis expressed anticipation for an exciting basketball season, and noted their appreciation for Williams' contribution over the past years, stating he will always be a part of the Memphis Tigers.