The supreme court convicted Ionut Adrian Tanasoaia of the slaying and sentenced him to seven years in prison today. The sentence is final.
Prosecutors say Tanasoaia punched Hardy on October 9, 2011 in a bar in the southern town of Giurgiu, where the American was playing for the local team. Hardy fell on the floor, suffering severe brain injuries and two neck fractures.
The 23-year-old basketball player died after surgery in a Bucharest hospital.
Hardy played basketball at Xavier High School in Middletown, Conn., and later at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.