From Jerry Tipton:
Freshman Alex Legion may bring new meaning to the basketball term crossover: A day after being granted permission to transfer, he might decide to return to Kentuckyâs team.
âThe last 24 hours theyâve been working on my son,â the playerâs player, Annette Legion, said Tuesday night.
She likened her sonâs second thoughts to someone not realizing what they have till itâs gone.
âItâs like a divorce,â Mrs. Legion said. âYou donât know how valuable that person is till youâre divorced. When youâre married, you couldnât see it.â
The playerâs mother said she heard from two people (one from their home state of Michigan) about the possibility of her son coming to an understanding with UK Coach Billy Gillispie. She had not heard directly from her son.
âIâm told Billy and he have worked out their differences,â Annette Legion said. âIf thatâs true, I will support him. I donât have a problem if he goes back. Heâs the one thatâs doing the hardship. Heâs the one doing the workouts.â
Quoting a source close to Legion, Seth Davis of CNNSI.com first wrote that the player was reconsidering the transfer.
On Monday night, UK announced that Legion would transfer. The announcement came hours after Gillispie spoke of trying to convince the player to stay.
âYou always hate to lose a valued member of your program, and Alex was definitely that,â Gillispie said in the news release Monday night. âHe has tremendous potential as a player and a student, but most importantly, he is a wonderful young man. We hate to see him leave, but if he can be happier elsewhere then all you can do is wish him the best.â
Legion had started twice and played in all six UK games. He averaged 6.7 points in 17-plus minutes per game.
In talking with reporters after his radio show, Gillispie noted that such mid-year transfers had never happened in his head coaching career.
âHopefully it wonât happen now,â the UK coach added.
Whenever a player decides to transfer, speculation centers on playing time. Legion did not enter the game against North Carolina on Saturday until the 11:07 mark of the second half. That after fans chanted his name. Booes filled Rupp Arena when Gillispie took Legion out of the game 22 seconds later. But after giving him instruction, the UK coach returned Legion to the game at the 9:21 mark.
Legion played a season-low six minutes, and scored seven points against North Carolina.
His mother said playing time was not the problem. âIt has nothing to do with basketball,â she said.
Very odd situation
http://ukbasketball.kentucky.com/
If you're referring to the 2nd blog entry on there I don't think she really said those things.