Reserve Zan Mason Announces He Will Transfer From UCLA

Zan Mason, unable to break into the regular rotation in two seasons with the UCLA basketball team, said Friday that he would transfer.

“I want an opportunity to show my ability, and I’m not getting that here,” Mason said. “I play hard, I do everything I can to put myself in a position to play, but they just didn’t call my number. I want to be in a position where a coach recognizes what I’m doing and calls my number.”

A 6-foot-7 forward from Westchester High, Mason is the fourth Bruin reserve to leave the team in the last year. Last summer, Darrin Dafney transferred to Drake, Rodney Odom transferred to a junior college in Texas--he will transfer next season to North Carolina Charlotte--and Kevin Williams left the team.

Mason was a high school All-American, but when Harrick used an eight-man rotation in Mason’s freshman season, Mason was the ninth man. When Harrick used a seven-man rotation last season, Mason was the eighth man.

Mason played in 27 of UCLA’s 32 games last season. He did not say where he planned to go.