jaron rush suspension lifted

SoCalHoops College News

JaRon Rush Suspension Lifted, Will Play
Against Stanford--(Feb. 29, 2000)

The NCAA yesterday lifted UCLA forward JaRon Rush's suspension, limiting the playing ban to 9 games, which included games he's already missed. Rush will return to the Bruin lineup on Saturday against No. 1 Stanford. Rush refused all comment except this which was contained in an official UCLA press release on the subject: "I am very happy that the NCAA has reduced my suspension, and I am relieved that this situation is finally over," said Rush, 20, in a statement. "I am looking forward to being back on the basketball court with my teammates."

Rush is still involved in some aspect of the investigation into the conduct of Myron Piggie, which reportedly is being looked at by a Missouri grand jury. Rush was suspended by UCLA on December 10 of last year after federal officials approached UCLA Athletic Director Pete Dalis with information concerning testimony that Rush had provided to investigators in Missouri concerning the Piggie investigation. As it pertained to Rush, the concerns were that Rush for accepted benefits from Piggie, his former summer league coach. But UCLA's bigger concerns were the complex federal investigation and whether it would permanently damage Rush's career. According to previously published sources, the FBI had informed UCLA that Rush had implicated himself while testifying in November in front of a federal grand jury investigating Piggie concerning possible tax and mail fraud. On Feb. 1, the NCAA suspended Rush for 29 games, which included 17 game next season after Rush admitted to receiving $200 on three separate occasions from LA-based sports agent Jerome Stanley, who continues to deny that he gave Rush any money or other items of value. Stanley also formerly represented another Piggie NBA protege who later fired him, and it was widely believed that at least some aspect of the investigation involved the feud between Piggie and Stanley over money.

Following the NCAA penalty, UCLA appealed the punishment to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, claiming that Rush was "enabled by a booster" and was "too young to make distinctions" between recruiting and amateurism, UCLA athletic director Peter Dalis said. "I believed that JaRon's case was being held to a very high standard by the NCAA, which sees this activity as very prevalent in AAU basketball and foresaw previous cases like this," Dalis said. "JaRon was twisting in the wind." The NCAA hearing was held on Friday, and on Monday, the NCAA subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement reduced the suspension from 29 to 9 games. Including the games he had already missed while suspended by UCLA, Rush missed a total of 24 games. Rush only played in three games this season. He will miss the Cal game on Thursday.