G'day, mate.
Utah sophomore Stephen Weigh announced Thursday that he's leaving the Utes to pursue a professional basketball career in his native Australia. The junior's decision is effective immediately.
"While I have appreciated and enjoyed the opportunity to attend the University of Utah and play for the basketball team, I have decided to return home to Australia and play professionally," Weigh said in a released statement. "This was a tough decision, but I believe it will be the best thing for me and my family. I do want to make it clear that I have no intention of transferring or playing college basketball for another school."
Weigh, who appeared in 40 games for the Runnin' Utes over the past two seasons and averaged 4.8 points, has been slowed by injuries this year. A rib injury kept him out of two games earlier in the season and a knee injury he suffered Jan. 9 against Dixie State will keep him off the floor for a month.
"I think there was some frustration on his part. I think there was some frustration that maybe this season wasn't working out like he wanted it to," said Utah coach Jim Boylen, who noted the injuries and Weigh's strong performances in the Utes' summer tour of Australia, probably factored into the decision.
"Stephen played well," he explained. "So I think there were some seeds there of an opportunity."
Boylen was disappointed that Weigh opted to leave but supports what he called "a family decision."
It was a move the first-year coach of the Utes saw coming.
"I talked to his parents about six weeks ago and they voiced their concerns that they thought maybe the best thing for Stephen would be to go home," Boylen said. "I wanted Stephen to stay. I wanted him to stick it out, hang in there."
Boylen wasn't involved in the final decision — though he did counsel Weigh on the matter.
"I wanted him to get his education. I wanted him to be part of this team, but I also understand that his family comes first. I think it's very difficult to have a guy, your son, 12,000 miles from home," Boylen said. "And it also hasn't been a real good year for him with the injuries, and I just think he felt his heart was telling him to go home and I have to support him on that."
Weigh thinks he has a great opportunity to play professionally in Australia and Boylen agrees.
So, too, does former teammate and fellow Australian Luke Nevill.
"He's a great player. He's got great skills," Nevill said. "He can make it wherever. He thought he had a better chance at home with his family and everything near him."
Weigh's departure, Boylen noted, is void of hard feelings.
"I wish him the best. I miss him already," he said. "But we'll always have a relationship and he'll always be a Ute in my mind. He just left a little early."
Nevill, who can relate to Weigh's decision in terms of being so far away from home and having the lure of an immediate opportunity to play professionally in Australia, said his former teammate did what he felt was best.
Nevill, however, has different plans.
"I made a commitment to Utah. (Boylen) is an amazing coach. He's really good for me and my development," said the junior. "This is where I want to stay. This is where I want to end up — get my degree and see what happens from there.
"It's always an option to go back home and play," Nevill continued. "But it's not my option."
Weigh is the second player to leave the team this season. Point guard Curtis Eatmon, who had not played in any games because of a hip condition, was released from his scholarship earlier this month.
Weigh's decision to leave, Boylen explained, won't affect the Utes' playing rotation since he was injured. Boylen said the loss will, however, be felt from the standpoint of parting ways with a friend, a good guy and a teammate.
Even so, there's still plenty of basketball left to play. The Utes host rival BYU on Saturday.
"No disrespect to Stephen, but we've got to move on," Boylen said. "And we will."
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com