Joel Smith not returning for 2008-2009 season

Published 5:39 pm Friday, June 27, 2008

Once all four of Washington’s incoming recruits qualified academically, it became clear that the Huskies would have more basketball players (14) than scholarships (13) allowed by the NCAA for next season.

Today, the school announced that Joel Smith will not be returning next season. Smith, who redshirted two seasons ago because of injury, will graduate soon with a degree in American Ethnic Studies, but had a year of eligibility left.

Here’s the release from gohuskies.com

While that release doesn’t give many details, a school spokesman did confirm that this was a decision made by coach Lorenzo Romar, not Smith. He is eligible transfer to a non-Division I school and play one more year.