Seldom-Used Burns Will Leave UCLA in Search of Minutes

Marquis Burns, a 6-foot-4 junior guard from Reseda who has seen his role on the team all but vanish, announced Saturday that he is transferring from UCLA.

Burns, who has played in only five games this season because of back problems and the arrival of freshmen Toby Bailey and J.R. Henderson, said he has not yet decided on his next school--though he said it will probably not be in the Los Angeles area.

“I just don’t see my future here getting any brighter,” said Burns, who sat on the Bruin bench during Saturday’s 91-78 victory over Washington State at Pauley Pavilion. “I’ll try to get playing time somewhere else.”

Burns said he seriously considered transferring before the season but decided to stick around and compete for the minutes at shooting guard left vacant by the departure of Shon Tarver.

But Burns said it became clear early on that Bailey and Henderson, who is now a starter, had beat him out. UCLA Coach Jim Harrick apparently helped Burns make his decision.

Harrick said UCLA would file a petition to try to get Burns a medical redshirt this season--which would make him eligible to play for a new school next fall. If Burns doesn’t get the redshirt, he would not be eligible until a year after he transfers.

Burns, who averaged two points and 1.5 rebounds in 58 games at UCLA, said he doesn’t regret his decision to stay last summer.

“If I had left after last year, there always would have been in the back of my mind, ‘What if? What if?’ ” he said.