Ellis Says He’s Leaving Kentucky

Ending months of speculation, LeRon Ellis said Monday he is leaving the University of Kentucky to seek his basketball fortunes elsewhere.

Ellis, the 6-foot-10 sophomore center who led Mater Dei High School to two Southern Section 5-A championships and a state title, announced his decision at a hastily called news conference in Lexington, Ky.

His decision comes as a result of Friday’s announcement by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. of sanctions against Kentucky.

Kentucky was placed on three years probation--including a two-year ban on postseason play and a one-year ban on live television appearances--for several violations. Among them is a charge that $1,000 was mailed to the father of Chris Mills, a recruit from Fairfax High, by former Kentucky assistant Dwane Casey.

“One of my goals is to have a legitimate shot of going to the Final Four and winning a national championship,” Ellis said. “In order to have a chance to achieve that goal, my only choice is to transfer.”

Ellis met with C.M. Newton, Kentucky athletic director, Monday morning and Newton agreed to release Ellis to another school. Kentucky has been seeking a basketball coach since Eddie Sutton resigned in the wake of the charges.

“As a result of the two-year penalty on postseason play, I not only understand his reason for making the decision to transfer, but support that decision,” Newton said. “To say he will be missed would be an understatement. However, everyone here understands his reasons for transferring.”

Ellis is not sure where he will go, but reportedly he has expressed interest in Syracuse, St. John’s and Nevada Las Vegas.

LeRoy Ellis, his father and a former National Basketball Assn. star, played at St. John’s. Mike Hopkins, a former Mater Dei teammate, plays at Syracuse.

“I am going to discuss with my high school coach (Gary McKnight) the three or four schools that I would like to visit in June and go from there,” Ellis said. “I haven’t made any type of decision at this time.”

Under NCAA rules, because of the sanctions against Kentucky, Ellis would be immediately eligible to play at another school and would have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Last season, his first as a full-time starter, Ellis averaged a team-leading 16 points.