UCLA Basketball: Freshman Kobe Paras Withdraws From The University

It was announced today that incoming UCLA Basketball freshman Kobe Paras has withdrawn from the University due to academic concerns.

The Four Fabulous Freshmen that were suppose to help change the direction of the UCLA Basketball program are now down to three.

Three-star shooting guard and Philippines superstar Kobe Paras has withdrawn from the university due failing to meet the academic conditions requires by the University.

This is the second year in a row that Paras has withdrawn from a program that he was expected to participate in. Last season, Paras and his family decided that it was best for him to withdraw from Cathedral High School in Los Angeles due to the conflicting academic calendars between the United States and his home country of the Philippines. He then played for the unknown and under-the-radar Middlebrooks Academy.

This is a tiny blow to the UCLA Basketball program as he was expected to be a solid shooter, but a project at best. Paras would have added depth to a bench that only scored 14% of UCLA’s total output of points last season.

This is the second departure from the UCLA Basketball program after Noah Allen decided to transfer to Hawaii. Allen’s departure helped solve the Bruin’s scholarship problem of having one more player than the allowed 13. With Paras gone, the Bruins now only have 12 scholarship players, which is still the most in Head Coach Steve Alford‘s tenure.

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So how does this affect UCLA? Paras was projected to come off the bench at the 2 or 3 spot. What this does is opening up more playing time for the Bruin’s shooters Bryce Alford, Prince Ali and Isaac Hamilton. Though they will not be able to platoon, Steve Alford still has a lot of talent left with this team.