Saturday, October 11th, 2008

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<p>Ben Howland meets the local media after having already met his new team, which may lose T.J. Cumm

Ben Howland meets the local media after having already met his new team, which may lose T.J. Cumm

Cummings may exchange senior year for NBA draft

Will T.J. Cummings return for his senior season?

Speculation abounds that Cummings won’t be back in Westwood next year. The forward, who has been known to have academic problems, might opt for the NBA draft instead of improving his reportedly woeful GPA.

He was the only player to skip new coach Ben Howland’s inaugural team meeting Thursday before he was introduced as head coach.

A UCLA spokesman refused to comment on Cummings’ academic situation, saying only that he is still enrolled.

However, the spokesman refused to deny the rumors.

Cummings averaged 10.3 points per game last season but was often criticized for his selfish play.

He had just 19 assists in 29 games.

On that same token, forward Andre Patterson, who had to attend Santa Monica City College during fall quarter to get himself academically eligible to play, reportedly might again have to leave UCLA due to poor grades.

According to published reports, as soon as Patterson’s winter quarter grades are processed, his GPA may be too low to enroll in the spring.

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Ben Howland has been as busy as the 405 Freeway since signing his lucrative contract with UCLA on April 2.

The new UCLA basketball kingpin met with players and media Thursday before jetting to the Final Four in New Orleans and then to Pittsburgh over the weekend.

He returned to Los Angeles on Monday and has spent the past two days meeting individually with players and UCLA administrative officials.

When asked whether Howland would take time out of his schedule to introduce himself to students around campus, the athletic department said it doesn’t anticipate him doing that anytime in the near future.

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UCLA’s blue-chip recruit for next season, Westchester High School forward Trevor Ariza, is also in academic trouble.

According to the Orange County Register, Ariza, who was named Los Angeles City Player of the Year, has failed to get qualifying test scores thus far and could rescind his letter of intent.

Evan Burns, who was in a similar situation last season, ended up attending San Diego State.