Derrick Rose, who led Memphis to the 2008 national title game, appears to be at the center of an NCAA investigation of major violations during that season.

In a letter to the school, the NCAA says an unknown person took the SAT for a player, who then used that test to get into Memphis and prove his NCAA eligibility.

The letter, obtained by The Commercial Appeal of Memphis, says the athlete in question played for the Tigers in the 2007-08 season and the 2008 NCAA tournament. The only person who played just that season was Rose.

The NCAA has asked Memphis to provide copies of the SAT and a Sept. 2, 2008, report by a forensic document examiner who studied the handwriting in the SAT.

Rose was the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft by Chicago and this season's rookie of the year. His agent, B.J. Armstrong, did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press.

New Memphis coach Josh Pastner told The Associated Press on Thursday that he wasn't aware of the allegations when offered the job in April to replace John Calipari.

"It's nothing that will affect the current team, which I believe," said Pastner, who first joined the staff as an assistant in June 2008. "I can't comment anymore than that."

The biggest penalty Memphis is facing would be forfeiting the 38 wins and the Final Four trip with no scholarship reductions expected.

Athletic director R.C. Johnson was in a meeting Thursday morning and did not immediately return a phone message.

Kentucky president Lee Todd reiterated in a statement Thursday that his university was aware of the inquiry while interviewing Calipari and added that this was issue between Memphis and the NCAA.

"We are confident that Coach Calipari was not involved in any way," Todd said. "He was very open with us about what he was aware of at that particular time, and since this is an issue between the University of Memphis and the NCAA and not a UK issue, we will not be commenting further on anything related to this situation."

Memphis was notified Jan. 16 of the potentially major violations in the men's basketball program and will appear June 6 in Indianapolis before the NCAA Committee on Infractions for a hearing.

The alleged violations occurred under Calipari, who left March 31 to take over at Kentucky. Calipari was told by the NCAA in a letter that he was not at risk of being charged with any violations in the case, according to a statement by Kentucky.

Calipari said in the statement that he would fully cooperate with the NCAA's hearing and had no further comment. Kentucky also said Calipari was forthcoming during his hiring about "any issues under investigation at the University of Memphis at that time."

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AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman in Chicago contributed to this report.