Bruins Suspend Rush

UCLA suspended sophomore forward JaRon Rush indefinitely Friday for a possible NCAA violation, a penalty that will probably sideline him for at least two games and might threaten his future at the school.

Bruin officials would not disclose the indiscretion that at best appears to be an error in judgment by Rush and at worst could mean the end of his college eligibility after one season and three games. But all involved seemed confident that no other players were involved and that the chances of major sanctions, either from the Pacific 10 Conference or the NCAA, were all but nonexistent.

“It has nothing to do with the team,” Athletic Director Pete Dalis said. “It’s an individual who violated NCAA rules.

“I know for a fact that no member of the coaching staff knew about it. The coaching staff found out about it from me.”

That was on Thursday, Dalis said, after he learned about the potential infraction from a third party. Coach Steve Lavin was then informed, and Dalis and Faculty Athletic Representative Donald Morrison interviewed Rush for about 30 minutes on Friday. The Bruins also reported the investigation to the conference.

Rush was immediately suspended, pending the outcome of UCLA’s inquiry. How long that will last--and how long Rush’s fragile psyche and previous transgressions will be on public display--is uncertain because school officials will be trying to arrange interviews during the holiday season, a busy time for everyone. Their findings then could also lead to expanding the investigation.

“Part of it will require interviewing some external people, external to the university,” Dalis said. “If I decide to include the Pac-10 [in the process], I can’t predict how long it will go.”

What seems certain is that Rush, the leading rebounder and starting small forward last season as a freshman, will miss the Bruins’ first two real tests of the season, today’s game against Gonzaga and next Saturday’s against DePaul.

They leave for Hawaii and the Pearl Harbor Classic the day after playing the Blue Demons at Pauley Pavilion, and there is a good chance Rush will miss the three games on Oahu as well. It depends on the speed of the inquiry.

And then there is the scenario in which not returning until after the tournament would be the good news, meaning Rush would be allowed to return.

No one was making any predictions about the outcome. But neither was anyone ignoring the possibility that the findings will mean that Rush--well-liked by teammates and a critical member of the 11th-ranked team in the country--has played his last game as a Bruin.

“I’d say it’s possible,” Dalis said.

Rush watched part of Friday’s practice, but was not available for comment. Those around the program, though, describe him as being emotionally wounded.

“He knows it’s going to be a challenging period for him here,” Lavin said. “He’ll just have to be patient and hope for the best. His spirits are down a little bit, but I think the team will rally around him.”

Said guard Earl Watson, a childhood friend from the Kansas City area, “I know it’s going to bother him.”

Dalis said Rush was “forthcoming but distraught” during Friday’s meeting with Morrison. It was another test of Rush’s makeup.

Homesickness was a major problem last season. He almost did not return to Los Angeles after one visit to Kansas City. Countless college freshmen go through the same thing, but there were other incidents. Before this season had even officially started, Rush was benched for missing a pregame meal and then he walked out near the end of Lavin’s talk to the team that night after an exhibition game, apparently feeling picked on in comments Lavin made to the team about the need for rules.

But he always returned with an upbeat attitude. He came off the bench the first three games this season but averaged the fifth-most minutes, along with 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 56.5%.