Spring Break
NCAA clears new player
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 1/22/09 Section: Sports
On Wednesday night, Ater Majok sat behind the UConn bench in black corduroys with a matching black sweater vest that fit snugly against his 6-foot-10-inch frame. Even though he wasn't wearing the UConn uniform that he had hoped to have at this point in the season, Majok was all smiles.
At about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Majok got a text message from UConn assistant coach Andre Lafleur that said he needed to get to the XL Center immediately.
When Majok arrived, he was greeted by his team with smiles and congratulations, and yet he still didn't know what was going on.
Earlier in the day, the NCAA Clearinghouse declared Majok partially eligible to play with UConn this season after the team had waited weeks to hear back from the Clearinghouse.
Majok, who has been touted as a versatile forward, can practice with the team once he is enrolled in classes with the university. However, he cannot play in any games until the end of the 2009 fall semester. The Huskies first game of the 2009-2010 season is on Dec. 14.
So for now, Majok can sit on the bench at home games, while wearing street clothes, and can sit the bench at away games but cannot travel with the team.
While Majok can't play until next season, he says he isn't disappointed with the NCAA's decision to give him a partial clearance; in fact, he's mostly excited about getting his collegiate career in the classroom started.
"I was worried that I was going to miss a lot of school work and a lot of school days," Majok said. "That's what was I was worried about. I wasn't worried about playing or practicing because that's secondary to what I'm here for. I'm here to get a university education."
Majok will practice with the team from here on out, and he hopes his basketball skills will help challenge the team to improve.
"Don't worry, nobody is going to get a shot off that easy in practice," Majok said. "It's going to be a fight every practice. I have to contribute somehow, do whatever I can to make the team a better team."
At about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Majok got a text message from UConn assistant coach Andre Lafleur that said he needed to get to the XL Center immediately.
When Majok arrived, he was greeted by his team with smiles and congratulations, and yet he still didn't know what was going on.
Earlier in the day, the NCAA Clearinghouse declared Majok partially eligible to play with UConn this season after the team had waited weeks to hear back from the Clearinghouse.
Majok, who has been touted as a versatile forward, can practice with the team once he is enrolled in classes with the university. However, he cannot play in any games until the end of the 2009 fall semester. The Huskies first game of the 2009-2010 season is on Dec. 14.
So for now, Majok can sit on the bench at home games, while wearing street clothes, and can sit the bench at away games but cannot travel with the team.
While Majok can't play until next season, he says he isn't disappointed with the NCAA's decision to give him a partial clearance; in fact, he's mostly excited about getting his collegiate career in the classroom started.
"I was worried that I was going to miss a lot of school work and a lot of school days," Majok said. "That's what was I was worried about. I wasn't worried about playing or practicing because that's secondary to what I'm here for. I'm here to get a university education."
Majok will practice with the team from here on out, and he hopes his basketball skills will help challenge the team to improve.
"Don't worry, nobody is going to get a shot off that easy in practice," Majok said. "It's going to be a fight every practice. I have to contribute somehow, do whatever I can to make the team a better team."
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