Washington's Oliver to transfer
Christian Caple
December 5, 2007
Photo by Jesse Barracoso.
Sophomore guard Adrian Oliver outruns a Long Beach State University player during a game Nov. 26th in which the Huskies won 84-69. Oliver has decided to leave the University of Washington’s men’s basketball team to transfer to another school.
Sophomore guard Adrian Oliver will transfer from the Washington men's basketball team, coach Lorenzo Romar announced yesterday.
Romar said that Oliver, a 6-foot-3-inch shooting guard from Modesto, Calif., didn't adjust well to being away from home. As of this time, Oliver hasn't announced a destination.
"He thought being away from home was something he could adjust to," Romar said. "But being here has just been too difficult for him, being away from his family."
Oliver started 13 games as a freshman last season and averaged 21 minutes per game. He figured to contend for a starting spot this season in the crowded UW backcourt, but a broken nose coupled with knee and back problems have limited his contributions. Oliver has averaged just 3.2 points per game and 11.2 minutes this year.
"The injuries prevented him from playing this year," Romar said when asked if playing time was a factor in Oliver's decision. "You could call it playing time, but the playing time was a byproduct of the injury."
Oliver becomes the third player from Romar's highly touted 2006 recruiting class to leave the school. The class, which was ranked sixth in the nation at the time by Scout.com, also included Spencer Hawes, Phil Nelson and Quincy Pondexter. Hawes was taken 10th overall in the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings last season, and Nelson transferred to Portland State. Pondexter is the only member of the 2006 class still in a Husky uniform.
"You never want to see anyone go," Romar said. "But at the same time, we'll move on."
Oliver averaged 25.5 points per game as a senior at Modesto Christian High School, earning him top 100 status on various national recruiting lists. He chose Washington over Kentucky, Kansas and some Pac-10 schools.
Romar said the news didn't catch him "totally by surprise," adding that most young players experience some level of homesickness.
"You could kind of see it a little bit," he said.
[Reach reporter Christian Caple at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]
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