hollins to ucla

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Er, Um...Ryan Hollins Will Pick
UCLA, Not Washington!--(June 10, 2002)

Sheesh....this is so confusing. No sooner had we posted our story about Ryan Hollins committing to the University of Washington, courtesy of a report published this morning in the Seattle Times, than someone alerts us to an article posted at Jim Downs' UCLA BruinHoopNews site, where it is being reported that Ryan Hollins (6'-11" Sr. F/C) from Pasadena Muir gave a verbal commitment to the Bruins this past weekend. Downs' story claims that the Seattle Times story is wrong and that all will be made clear shortly when Hollins makes a public announcement.

The report from Jim Downs is a short one, and we have no doubt that he's certainly got better info and sources on the coaching staff at UCLA most of the time than just about anyone, so we're going to recant and go with Downs on this one.... In the interest of preserving Jim's report for posterity (and in case he later changes it) we're going to reproduce it below (remember Jimmy, "fair use"....). You'll want to catch the original story at Jim's site because it's got a nice picture of Ryan, not shown below....

Bruin Notes
Jim Downs
Bruin Hoop Report
June 10, 2002

Hollins Commits

Six-foot-eleven center Ryan Hollins gave UCLA a verbal commitment this weekend, Bruin sources tell us. This contradicts a published report that Hollins commited to the University of Washington. But our sources at UCLA assure us that Hollins will be a Bruin, and that the Seattle Times report is in error.

A John Muir High School (Pasadena, Calif.) graduate, Hollins originally signed a Letter of Intent with St. Louis University, but backed out of his commitment when Coach Lorenzo Romar took the Washington job.

While released from his scholarship agreement by St. Louis, Hollins will have to appeal to the NCAA to restore his eligibility for next season. If unsuccessful, Hollins will have to sit out the season.

Verbal commitments are non-binding, and a Letter of Intent can only be signed once. Hollins is expected to sign a scholarship agreement with UCLA soon, according to sources. Hollins had taken a visit to the UCLA campus last week. UCLA also hosted rising-senior point guard Aaron Brooks on an official visit last weekend, as well as 6-8 Israeli forward Yaniv Green two weeks ago.