What Memphis basketball signee James Wiseman said about ESPNU mistaking him for prep player

MURFREESBORO — James Wiseman is aware that ESPNU mistook him for Mid South Prep Academy basketball player Emmanuel Umoffia during its broadcast of Memphis' AAC tournament win over Tulane on Thursday.

“That was crazy, I don’t even know how (they could do that), like that’s insane,” said Wiseman. 

While the Tigers were scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip-off in Memphis at FedExForum, Wiseman's Memphis East team was in Murfreesboro competing in the Class AAA quarterfinals against Cleveland. Wiseman, a Memphis signee, had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He even leaped over Cleveland's Klay McGowan and dunked on him. 

Wiseman, the No. 1 player nationally in the Class of 2019, said Umoffia doesn't "look anything like" him. East coach Jevonte Holmes had a good laugh about the mix-up.

“We have a private jet, we’ve got a helicopter,” joked Holmes. 

East (26-8) will take on Bearden (31-5) in the Class AAA state championship on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at MTSU's Murphy Center. If the Mustangs win, they will be the first boys basketball team in TSSAA history to win 10 state titles. It would also be their fourth championship in a row.

Wiseman, who transferred from Ensworth to East before the start of his junior season, would end his high school career a two-time state champion. He said that a second title would rank as his favorite accomplishment so far. 

"(It would be) No. 1. Because this would be my second state title. When I was at Ensworth we went to the state tournament twice in a row but we lost in the semifinals every time. So it would be really great for me to be able to hoist that gold ball."

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