Lasege Will Stay In School After Ruling Ends Basketball Career
June 14, 2001 | Men's Basketball
June 14, 2001
By CHRIS DUNCAN
Associated Press Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The Kentucky Supreme Court ended the brief playing career of Louisville center Muhammed Lasege on Thursday by setting aside an injunction that had held the NCAA at bay.
"I had my whole dream shattered today," said the 6-foot-11 Lasege, an honors student with a 3.8 grade point average. "This comes at a time when everything was going my way. I've been here two years, and it's become a family thing. It's going to be so hard for me to turn my back and leave."
By a 4-3 margin, the justices said a lower court abused its discretion in issuing an injunction that allowed Lasege, a recruit from Nigeria, to play for the Cardinals.
Lasege signed with Louisville in 1999 but sat out the subsequent season while awaiting word from the NCAA on his eligibility. Before coming to Louisville, Lasege played briefly with a professional team in Russia, but claimed the "pro" experience was 13 games for a junior club team and that he played for room and board, not money.
The NCAA declared him ineligible in November 2000. In its review, Louisville also concluded Lasege was ineligible but petitioned the NCAA for his reinstatement. The NCAA refused, and Lasege sued, charging arbitrary treatment.
Last December, Jefferson Circuit Judge Geoffrey Morris in Louisville granted an injunction, and Lasege joined the Cardinals.
The state Court of Appeals upheld Morris' injunction. But in the majority opinion Thursday, Justice James Keller said Lasege's chances of winning his suit "are too remote to justify injunctive relief." The NCAA's action, far from being arbitrary, was strongly supported by evidence, Keller wrote.
Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich said the school was "still working out" whether Lasege will be allowed to keep his scholarship. Lasege played in 16 games last season, averaging 3.6 points. He was second on the team with 24 blocks.
If he can't keep his scholarship, Lasege said he will look for a job to pay for his last two years of school.
"I really want to stay. I'll try to find a way to work it out," said Lasege, an economics major.
Jurich said he wasn't sure whether the basketball program will face penalties for allowing Lasege to play.
"It's very sad for all of us, but it's a ruling we'll have to live with and abide by," Jurich said.
The NCAA said it felt "vindicated" by the ruling.
"The court recognized it is inappropriate for a judicial entity to substitute its decision for that of the NCAA in a student-eligibility matter," said Elsa Cole, general counsel for the NCAA. "This opinion rightly puts the NCAA's ability to execute its rules where it should be."
Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who was hired in March, said he would work individually with Lasege to help him pursue his pro basketball aspirations.
"He has a dream about graduating, and he has a dream about playing at the professional level," Pitino said. "I would be willing to work with him as long as it would take."
Pitino said he was "extremely shocked" by the ruling, but said he doesn't blame the NCAA.
"You can't knock an organization you represent and belong to. They're doing what they feel is right and just," Pitino said. "I told Muhammed, 'Don't lose hope. The NCAA won a ruling, but don't write them off.'
"I'm someone who believes in the NCAA. They're not about punishing people, they're about doing the right thing. In the end, I firmly believe they'll do right by Muhammed."
