UCLA Suspends Johnson, McCoy

Sending another shock to a UCLA basketball team shooting for the Final Four but losing players by the week, senior swingman Kris Johnson and junior center Jelani McCoy were indefinitely suspended from the team by the school Monday because of what one knowledgeable source described as “a dumb slip-up by both guys.”

Though no specifics were given by UCLA, other than that the two violated athletic department policy and team rules, various sources contacted said the two were suspended for the same reason, and it does not involve academic difficulties, improper dealings with an agent or basketball issues.

One source said that the suspensions were due to “problems unrelated to NCAA issues.”

But sources close to both the school and the players said that, assuming the players do not err again, their suspensions could be terminated sometime between the start of practice Oct. 15 and before late-December, when this season begins to kick into full gear.

UCLA’s first game is Nov. 27 against North Carolina in the Great Alaska Shootout.

Johnson and McCoy--40% of UCLA’s projected starting lineup and two-thirds of the returning front line--cannot participate in any team activities, including practice or team meetings, according to Athletic Director Peter T. Dalis.

“Both of them know the goals they must meet before we will consider reinstating them to the team,” Dalis said in a statement, adding that the school will not publicly discuss what those goals are or when they could be reached.

The indefinite suspensions come less than a month before practice begins and little more than a week after heralded recruit Schea Cotton was declared ineligible by the NCAA.

Johnson’s mother, Sabrina Sheran, said Johnson called her at her Atlanta home Monday night, but was not expansive about what had happened.

“He didn’t tell me anything about why it happened,” Sheran said. “He just said he was suspended indefinitely and they violated some rule and he couldn’t talk about it.

“He sounds sorry about it, he does sound sorry. I wanted to make sure he was OK, and he sounds OK. But he’s just not talking to me about anything, so I’ll just have to wait to see what’s going to happen.”

Sheran said her son never gave an indication that this could be a season-long suspension.

“I think he talked to the director and he understands what he has to do before he can come back,” Sheran said.

The two players, who apparently both were on campus Monday attending classes (which started last Thursday), could not be reached for comment on Monday.

McCoy’s father, Fred, said from Houston that he had not yet been able to reach his son.

“I know there were some disciplinary things looming,” Fred McCoy said, but added that he did not know the specifics of why his son had been suspended.

For however long Johnson--last year’s sixth man projected to be a key starter in his final season--and two-year returning starter McCoy are kept off of the team, their absence (plus the uncertain status of Cotton) decimates an already thin UCLA front line, whose only non-suspended veteran is senior J.R. Henderson.

Other than McCoy, there are no centers listed on the UCLA roster.

In the backcourt, only senior Toby Bailey has significant experience, and he will be teamed in the starting lineup with freshman point guard Baron Davis.

“Kris and Jelani have the support of our basketball family, as well as of the athletic department,” UCLA Coach Steve Lavin said in a statement. “My hope is that they will do what is required of them so that we will be able to consider reinstating them at a later date . . .

“Our two remaining seniors--Toby Bailey and J.R. Henderson--will have to lead what is suddenly a very young team, but we are used to overcoming adversity.”

Heading into the beginning of practice, UCLA’s main reserves were projected to be mainly newcomers: transfer swingman Kevin Daley and freshmen Earl Watson, Billy Knight, Travis Reed, Rico Hines and possibly Cotton, who has been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA but is fighting the decision.

Last year, the 6-foot-4 Johnson averaged 10.3 points and three rebounds--after averaging 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in a much more healthy sophomore season, including a 36-point performance to beat California.

The 6-9 McCoy started all but four games last season and set a Pacific 10 record by making 75.6% of his field goal attempts. He averaged 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds while blocking 61 shots.

Johnson and McCoy both were subjects of discipline last season, getting benched by Lavin twice, once for both missing a team function the night before a game, and once for both arriving late to a practice.