MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The NCAA has denied a waiver for an additional year of eligibility for Memphis Tigers player DeAndre Williams.

The denial means that Williams will not play for the University of Memphis this season.

The University of Memphis made the announcement Friday afternoon, saying in part, “We appreciate DeAndre’s contributions to our men’s basketball program over the past two-and-a-half years, and he will always be a Memphis Tiger. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to an exciting season on the court for our men’s basketball team.”

Back in May, Williams said he was seeking the waiver because he believed the NCAA “deprived” him of his initial year of eligibility at the University of Evansville due to academic issues.

Williams was the oldest player in NCAA Division I basketball last season. He was 26 at the time. Williams averaged nearly 18 points and 8 rebounds last season.

The full statement from the University of Memphis is available below:

“We are extremely disappointed a waiver for an additional year of eligibility for DeAndre Williams was denied, which came following a request for reconsideration of the initial denial and then an appeal. We felt the evidence about academic misadvisement prior to his initial collegiate enrollment that was uncovered and provided to the NCAA was sufficient to grant this waiver, and we also strongly believed the depth of additional information shared with the NCAA on an ongoing basis would be on DeAndre’s side. Unfortunately, after multiple months of back-and-forth, the NCAA arrived at a different conclusion. We appreciate DeAndre’s contributions to our men’s basketball program over the past two-and-a-half years, and he will always be a Memphis Tiger. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to an exciting season on the court for our men’s basketball team.”