Shortly after Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway unexpectedly fired four staff members, the university confirmed the existence of an anonymous letter accusing the Tigers' program of serious NCAA violations.

The letter, obtained by ESPN, claims Hardaway's direct involvement in potential violations of recruiting rules and academic standards.

"The University of Memphis is aware of the anonymous letter, which has been forwarded to the NCAA," university spokesperson Michele Ehrhart stated in a message to ESPN.

Hardaway announced on Wednesday morning -- two months before the start of the college basketball season -- that he was dismissing assistant coaches Rick Stansbury, Faragi Phillips and Jamie Rosser, as well as special adviser Demetrius Dyson. Neither Hardaway nor the school provided an explanation for the dismissals, with Hardaway stating in a statement that he "made the difficult decision to change our staff" and acknowledging that "the timing is not ideal."

It's unclear whether the anonymous letter is connected to the dismissals. Some of the alleged violations occurred before the Memphis tenure of at least two of the dismissed assistants, while none of the dismissed coaches were named in the letter.

The recent events escalate the pressure on Hardaway, who is entering a season that will be crucial for his future with the Tigers. After a strong start last season, going 15-2 and reaching as high as No. 10 in the AP poll, Memphis struggled down the stretch, going 7-8 and missing out on the NCAA tournament.

Hardaway has led his alma mater to the NCAA tournament just twice in his six years at the helm, with a first-round victory over Boise State in the 2022 tournament being the highlight.

The anonymous letter is just the latest off-court challenge during Hardaway's tenure. Previously, the program faced an 18-month NCAA investigation into alleged violations involving James Wiseman and other recruits. An independent review ultimately concluded that Hardaway did not violate NCAA rules due to his long history of philanthropic work in Memphis.

Last summer, Hardaway was handed a three-game suspension by the NCAA for recruiting violations and breaking head-coach responsibility rules, as determined by a separate investigation.

Senior Malcolm Dandridge missed the team's final five games last season while the school investigated his eligibility.

Memphis enters the new season with a significantly altered roster, having lost seven players to transfers and seeing star player David Jones depart for the NBA draft. The team has brought in eight new players from Division I programs. Adding to the upheaval, five members of the coaching staff had already left the program before Wednesday's dismissals.