Bruins Get 7-6 Transfer Mike Lanier

UCLA’s basketball program reached new heights Monday when Mike Lanier, a 7-foot-6 junior transfer, announced he will become a Bruin next season.

“I definitely want to play in the NBA, and you can get a whole lot of exposure from going to UCLA,” Lanier told the Associated Press in Abilene, Tex.

Lanier, 20, wants to give himself some time before playing in the Pacific 10 Conference. He plans to red-shirt next season, although he is transferring with full eligibility. He and seven teammates are leaving without penalty because their school, Hardin-Simmons of Abilene, is dropping from NCAA Division I to Division III status next season.

Lanier and brother Jim, who plays for the University of Denver, are said to be among the world’s tallest twins. Lanier was expected to announce his decision to attend UCLA last Friday.

But he said he balked when problems arose.

Hardin-Simmons Coach Dennis Harp said Lanier was told the NCAA is investigating UCLA. Harp said he did not know who told Lanier.

“But we called the NCAA and found out that wasn’t the case,” Harp said. “Every time a kid gets ready to make a decision, there’s always second thoughts. He wanted to be reassured by Coach (Jim) Harrick about his whole situation.”

Lanier said he did not want to discuss the problems.

“It’s a personal matter,” he said in a news conference at Abilene.

Harrick, UCLA’s second-year coach, said that because of NCAA guidelines he could not comment until the school receives a copy of the letter of intent.

Lanier averaged seven points and five rebounds a game last season as a sophomore at Hardin-Simmons, which plays in the Trans-American Athletic Conference.

Lanier started 22 of 28 games and averaged 20 minutes a game. Hardin-Simmons was 9-19.

As a freshman, Lanier averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds, and did not play in 13 of the team’s 27 games.

“There were a lot of question marks about whether he could play Division I basketball, but what a great success story it has been so far,” Harp said.

Coaches say Lanier’s improvement has been remarkable in the past two years.

“His last eight games for us were his best eight,” Harp said.

Al Pickett, sports editor of the Abilene Reporter-News, said Lanier plays best against taller opponents. Pickett said Lanier’s most impressive effort in two seasons was against Texas El Paso near the end of this past season.

Lanier had 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots against the Miners.

Lanier has been compared to Mark Eaton, a 7-4 center who played at UCLA from 1980-82. Eaton, a successful pro with the Utah Jazz, developed slowly in college.

“He’s supposed to be better than Eaton was at the same age,” Pickett said. “Anybody who can pull a rim down flat-footed is worth the risk.”

Said Lanier: “I don’t see myself starting until I am a senior. But I see myself getting maybe 10 minutes a game in my junior season.”

Johnny Hudson, a senior guard at Hardin-Simmons, said his roommate is an outstanding passer for his height.

“Of course, being 7-6 he can see over everyone else,” Hudson said.

Hudson said wherever the team went Lanier would be swarmed by autograph seekers who figured he was an NBA player.

“But they weren’t disappointed when they found out he played for Hardin-Simmons,” said Hudson, who roomed with Houston’s 7-1 Alvaro Tehren at Houston Baptist.

Lanier accepted a scholarship to Hardin-Simmons after playing at Brother Rice High School in Troy, Mich., where he grew up.

Although he was virtually ignored out of high school, Harp said 75 schools showed interest in the recent recruiting campaign. Lanier also considered LSU, Hawaii, Washington and Washington State before picking UCLA.