The Wildcats’ quest to defend their 2015 NCAA Championship title just got harder. The NCAA came to a decision today regarding freshman Omari Spellman’s eligibility—he’ll be spending this season on the sidelines as an Academic Redshirt.
“We are extremely disappointed for Omari,” head coach Jay Wright stated. “While we don’t agree with the NCAA’s decision, we are members of the association and respect it. We understand why the NCAA felt it had to rule this way.”
The 6-foot-9 power forward was under investigation for eligibility concerning his high school days. The NCAA bylaws detail, “A prospective student-athlete must complete their initial eligibility requirements not later than the high school graduation date of his or her class.