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BASKETBALL NBA HOPEFUL RETURNS TO NCAA

SOURCE http://www.lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=4250217
NCAA Reduces Suspension Of UK's Morris To 14 Games; Center To Return January 10
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NCAA Says UK Center Morris Can Return To Cats January 10
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Indianapolis (AP) -- Kentucky center Randolph Morris' season-long suspension for his attempt to enter the NBA draft was reduced to 14 games by the NCAA on Thursday.
The NCAA cited new information provided by the school for softening its punishment after Morris went undrafted. The information shed more light on Morris' "mindset during that process and his failure to avail himself of university resources," the NCAA said.
A fax Morris sent to Kentucky coach Tubby Smith on May 9, in which Morris informed Smith about his intention to enter the draft, indicated Morris' "clear intent to retain his collegiate eligibility while declaring for the NBA draft," the NCAA said in a statement.
Smith said Thursday he misplaced the original copy of the fax sent by Morris while traveling and only found it last week. In the one-paragraph fax - released by the university on Thursday - Morris told Smith that "my intent is not to obtain an agent so as to maintain my collegiate eligibility."
Earlier this month, an NCAA committee ruled that Morris did have a relationship with sports agency SFX, which released a statement on behalf of Morris on June 21 and was listed as the contact for Morris on a list compiled to help NBA teams arrange pre-draft workouts. But that committee also noted there was no explicit written or oral agreement between Morris and SFX.
Morris, a 6-foot-10 sophomore from Atlanta, must repay expenses related to the tryouts - which amounted to more than $7,000 from nine NBA teams, the NCAA said.
Morris will miss all of Kentucky's nonconference schedule, including a showdown with No. 4 Louisville on Saturday, but will be available for the 23rd-ranked Wildcats' Southeastern Conference opener against Vanderbilt on Jan. 10. He can continue to practice with the Wildcats in the interim and will have two years of eligibility remaining after this season.
"Based on all the information we had and all the extenuating circumstances, both Randolph and we have been very patient waiting for this opportunity," Smith said. "I'm very happy for Randolph, his family and our basketball program."
In his first public comments since the saga began, Morris apologized to Smith, his teammates and Kentucky fans and reaffirmed his intention to play four seasons for the Wildcats.
"In exploring my NBA options, I made poor choices," Morris said. "Those choices included accepting bad advice while putting distance between me and my coaches and teammates at UK. I take full responsibility for those actions.
"It wasn't obvious to me as I was going through this process, but looking back, I now see how my actions were disrespectful to coach Smith and the University of Kentucky. Playing basketball at the University of Kentucky is a privilege that few athletes get to enjoy. I intend to make the most of this opportunity to be a partof the greatest basketball program in America."
Even with the new information, the NCAA said that suspending Morris for half the regular season was justified "based on the seriousness of multiple rules violations involving dealings with an agent and accepting expenses for tryout for NBA teams."
The Wildcats (6-3) have struggled with their inside game without Morris. Smith has rotated a trio of 7-footers - Shagari Alleyne, Lukasz Obrzut and Jared Carter - at times, and also has used a smaller starting lineup without a true center in several games. That strategy worked against the lesser teams on Kentucky's schedule but not so well in losses to Iowa, North Carolina and Indiana - the last a 26-point blowout.
Morris' return can do nothing but help, Smith said.
"Randolph is a very talented player," Smith said. "He's trimmed down a lot. His attitude has been very good. We have never had one problem with him on or off the court this year. He has been a role model student in the classroom since he's been here and the same on the court. Coming back, he has been more focused than ever to prove he deserves another chance."
On Dec. 8, the NCAA's Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff restored Morris' eligibility but said he would have to sit out the entire season. Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said then the university would immediately appeal to the NCAA's Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, which would have been Kentucky's final method of appeal through the NCAA.
But because of the new information provided by the university, the staff reconsidered its decision before an appeal could be heard, the NCAA's statement said. Smith said that NCAA President Myles Brand even became involved in the organization's decision-making process on the Morris case and called Brand "a voice of reason" in the case.
Sandy Bell, Kentucky's NCAA compliance director, said the university "was pleased with the timely manner in which the reconsideration was made. The University of Kentucky considers this decision to be fair based upon the facts of the case."
Bell said the decision would not be appealed.
Morris started 33 of 34 games last season, averaging 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as Kentucky finished 28-6.
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved