
Originally Posted by
Tracy Pierson
Alex Stepheson did indeed decide to transfer out of North Carolina last week.
Stepheson, who is from Los Angeles, having attended Studio City Harvard-Westlake, primarily wanted to leave UNC because of the health of his father.
Sources have told us that UCLA is by far his #1 preference.
Unlike when a recruit is let out of his NLI, when a college player transfers, the school he is leaving needs to grant a specific release to each school he is then considering. Sources have told us that UCLA has received Stepheson’s release.
UCLA has contacted Stepheson and his family.
We’ve heard that Stepheson could make a decision on his destination as early as Wednesday of this week.
Stepheson, if he came to UCLA next fall, would have to sit out a year and then be eligible in the 2009-2010 season. He’d be a redshirt junior and have two years of eligibility remaining.
If UCLA does, in fact, get both Morgan and Stepheson, that would give them, officially, 15 players on scholarship for the 2009-2010 season, two over the limit of 13. Two of the players that have submitted their name for the NBA Draft would have to remain in the draft for scholarships to be available for Morgan and Stepheson.
It’s believed that both Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook will stay in the draft, with Love being projected as a mid to late lottery pick, and Westbrook projected in the range from late lottery pick to 20.
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