Foster Stays Away From UCLA Practice

Greg Foster was a no-show at practice Friday afternoon, and UCLA basketball Coach Walt Hazzard said that he was preparing for Sunday’s game against Oregon on the assumption that he would not have his 7-foot center.

Foster, who walked out on the team Thursday afternoon during a shoot-around, after learning that he would not be starting that night against Oregon State, had not contacted the coach before the end of practice.

“I expect to hear from him sometime today,” Hazzard said. “Under the right circumstances, I think we would take him back. . . . My posture has been to go too far (for a player) before you don’t go far enough. . . . I think it would be in his best interest to contact us soon.”

Foster had missed practice Wednesday because of the flu and, in keeping with Hazzard’s policy, was not included in the starting lineup Thursday.

UCLA lost that game to Oregon State, dropping to 0-3 in the Pac-10.

“He didn’t just walk out on me, he walked out on his teammates and the university,” Hazzard said. “I’m not throwing stones at him. He’s 19 years old. Sometimes young people don’t have the vision to see what kind of an impact something like this might have on his life.”

If Foster wants to transfer, he will have talk to the athletic director and begin a formal process. He has not done that.