Former Memphis basketball star denied waiver request by NCAA

The Memphis Tigers will not get another season of eligibility for guard Caleb Mills, who had his appeal denied by the NCAA according to The Commercial Appeal on Tuesday.

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway indicated the school applied for a medical hardship waiver for Mills after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in early January, which limited him to just 14 games on the year.

However, according to NCAA rules a medical hardship waiver can only be applied if a player appeared in 30% or less of a team’s scheduled games – and Mills appeared in about 44% for the Tigers this past season.

The 6’3 guard averaged 7.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last year for Memphis, who went 12-2 while he was on the floor and 10-8 after he went down with his injury, ultimately missing the NCAA Tournament.

Last season was Mills’ first with Memphis. Prior to that he spent two years at Florida State , averaging 12.8 points and 3.0 assists in 58 games, and before that he was at Houston for two seasons, appearing in 31 games as a freshman in 2019-20 and four games as a sophomore in 2020-21 before suffering an injury.

Memphis rebuilt their roster via the transfer portal, adding four guards: Tyrese Hunter from Texas , PJ Haggery from Tulsa, Colby Rogers from Wichita State and Baraka Okojie from George Mason.

Mills would have given this team a familiar face and a veteran scorer, but the team is equipped to move on without him as his college career comes to an end.