UCLA junior forward Reeves Nelson was dismissed from the team Friday after repeated issues relating to his conduct.
“After much thought and deliberation, I have made the decision to dismiss Reeves Nelson from the UCLA Men’s Basketball Team effective immediately,” Bruins coach Ben Howland said.
“This decision is not one that I take lightly, but it is in the best interest of both the program and the student-athlete.”
During the season opener, Nelson reportedly did not participate in team timeouts. He arrived late for a team film session the next day, and then got into a verbal altercation with Howland.
The coach suspended Nelson after that but reinstated him for a three-game trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. But Nelson missed the team plane for the Hawaii trip.
Nelson had started in only one game this season and played in six of the team’s seven games. He was seventh on the team in scoring at 5.7 points per game and fourth on the team in rebounding (4.5 rpg).
He was a first team All-Pac-10 selection after the conclusion of the 2010-11 season as he led UCLA in scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg).
