Bruins' suspension remains unexplained
Wednesday, October 1, 1997
Bruins' suspension remains unexplained
Officials refuse to comment on reason for McCoy's, Johnson's abrupt suspensions
By Traci Mack
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Like blind jump shots fired from half court, speculations on the cause of two UCLA basketball starters' suspensions were tossed about wildly on Tuesday.
Junior Jelani McCoy, a 6-foot, 9 1/2-inch center, and senior Kris Johnson, a 6-foot-4 swingman, were suspended indefinitely on Monday without explanation from the UCLA Athletic Department. It came as a giant blow to the Bruin basketball team, which loses the only center listed on its roster, as well as a talented swingman and projected team leader.
While The Long Beach Press-Telegram reported that the suspension is due to McCoy and Johnson testing positive for marijuana usage on more than one occasion, many are unsatisfied with this explanation.
Random drug testing is performed on all student athletes at NCAA schools. However, if an athlete tests positive for drug abuse, he or she is subject to suspension by the NCAA for at least one year.
Had they tested positive at the NCAA tournament last year, Johnson and McCoy would have been suspended. However, rules regarding UCLA Athletics' internal testing procedures differ.
According to testing protocol, the first positive test results are known only by the athlete and physician. With a second or third positive test, the head coach and associate athletic director are notified and the athlete's financial aid may not be renewed the following year. It is only with the fourth positive test that the director of athletics is notified and the athlete is suspended from participation in all athletic activities. Mandatory counseling accompanies any positive test results.
In addition to the alleged drug usage, several papers have reported multiple fights involving Johnson over the past year. Freshman point guard Earl Watson was reportedly party to one confrontation this summer. Most recently, witnesses link Johnson to another fight at the Saxon Residential Suites on Sept. 22.
However, these incidents do not offer insight to McCoy's suspension. While McCoy was reported to have been present at the Saxon incident, the degree of his involvement has yet to be determined.
Officials will not elaborate on whether McCoy and Johnson are being punished for the same offense. However, media reports have speculated that the suspensions could potentially last the duration of the season.
"We won't comment in any of the media. The two young men have a right to their privacy, and it's unfortunate that people feel the need to speculate on the reasons for the suspensions," said Sports Information Director Marc Dellins of the media conjecture.
McCoy's shot-blocking ability and Johnson's knack for firing from behind the three-point line will be missed, but perhaps more significant is the extensive experience they would bring to the court.
Neither player may participate in any team activities, including practices and meetings. The loss of McCoy and Johnson, coupled with the uncertain status of forward Schea Cotton, leaves the Bruins with J.R. Henderson and Toby Bailey as the only experienced players on the team.
Many believe that Johnson and McCoy will be reinstated early in the season. If their suspensions last throughout the entire Fall Quarter, they would be back in time to play in the Bruins' fifth game.
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