Muhammad reinstated by NCAA, expects to play Monday

No. 1 recruit Shabazz Muhammad, the face of UCLA's young and talented team in 2012, has been reinstated to the Bruins roster and is now eligible to play, according to an NCAA release.

UCLA was set to appeal the NCAA's original ruling on Friday that Muhammad was ineligible due to an amateurism violation that stemmed from travel expenses he accepted from North Carolina financial advisor and alleged family friend, Benjamin Lincoln. But according to the NCAA's statement, the two sides simply resolved the case by "acknowledging amateurism violations occurred" - a decision that Muhammad and his lawyer Bob Orr had not been consulted on.

From there, UCLA requested that Muhammad be reinstated after a penalty of missing 10 percent of the season (three games) and repaying approximately $1,600 in impermissible benefits. The NCAA agreed with the university's actions, making him eligible to compete, considering he had already missed the team's first three games of the season. Muhammad is likely to take the court for the first time Monday against Georgetown in the championship round of the Legends Classic.

Soon after the announcement was made, Muhammad made his happiness known, via Twitter.

"#FREE," he tweeted.

Muhammad later released a statement that said: "I am excited to be able to play for UCLA starting next Monday. My family and friends were very supportive of me throughout this process and I couldn't have gone through this without them."

Orr made clear in an interview with the Register on Friday that UCLA, not Muhammad, admitted that violations of amateurism had occurred. But even with that decision - something Orr said clearly came down to a give-and-take between the NCAA and UCLA - Orr and Muhammad agreed with both sides that this was the best result for everyone involved.

"UCLA admitted (amateurism violations)," Orr said. "We haven't admitted anything. ... Nowhere in the (NCAA's statement) does it say that Shabazz was a part of that decision. From his standpoint, all he wants to do is play basketball. It's been very frustrating, long, difficult process for Shabazz and his family, and I think it's in everybody's best interest ... for him to take the court."

Muhammad had been investigated in some regard for over a year before being deemed ineligible just hours before UCLA's home opener against Indiana State. Since then, the NCAA and Muhammad's family and lawyer have released a flurry of statements to justify their sides in the case, as the Muhammad family continued to remain steadfast that Lincoln was a family friend who had gone through the necessary paperwork to help Muhammad pay for three trips to two NCAA schools, Duke and North Carolina.

Following the release, UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, coach Ben Howland, and Muhammad himself all expressed their relief that the long, arduous case would be over.

"We are extremely grateful that this matter has come to a conclusion," Guerrero said in a statement. "This entire process has been challenging on many fronts, but we believe strongly in the principles of fairness, integrity, and due process. We are satisfied with the outcome and pleased that Shabazz will be able to join his teammates on the floor, representing UCLA in Brooklyn on Monday night."

Said Howland, also in a statement: "I am relieved that this long, arduous process has come to an end. So many people worked very hard on this case and I am eternally grateful to them as well as the Bruin family, who stood by us throughout. I am pleased that Shabazz will be able to begin his collegiate career."

Orr had nothing but good things to say about how UCLA handled the situation, as he believed the Bruins had stayed true to their word after both sides spoke about a potential NCAA investigation when Muhammad first committed to play with UCLA.

As for the NCAA, many have already used Muhammad's case to argue again for sweeping reform of the governing body's policies regarding amateurism, something Orr fervently supports, especially after witnessing Muhammad subjected to this recent NCAA process.

"I think the process that the NCAA uses is fundamentally wrong in that it doesn't protect or respect the rights of these young men and women," Orr said. "My frustration is that Shabazz and his family have had to go through this, like lots of other young people have. It seems to me that the investigation process here is one more example of why there needs to be sweeping reform of the way this all plays out."

Continued Orr: "I'm sure (UCLA) is hoping that they will be in the Final Four in Atlanta, and the NCAA will be making huge sums of money off of them. It's in everybody's best interest, right?"

The Bruins were 3-0 without Muhammad, but narrowly escaped defeat over a pesky UC Irvine team that took them to overtime Tuesday night. Before that game, UCLA's freshmen warmed up before the game wearing T-shirts that said "Free Shabazz" - a practice that was quickly halted by Howland.

But after a lengthy process with the NCAA, Friday marked the end of Muhammad's eligibility concerns, as the nation's No. 1 recruit was indeed free to play at last.

Contact the writer: rkartje@ocregister.com

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49863951/ns/local_news-orange_county_ca/

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