NCAA rules UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad ineligible

LOS ANGELES - No. 13 UCLA took a big loss before its season even began Friday night.

The NCAA ruled freshman Shabazz Muhammad is ineligible to play basketball after violating amateurism rules, leaving the Bruins without their highly touted recruit to start the season.

The school announced the NCAA’s ruling in a statement from athletic director Dan Guerrero about 80 minutes before the Bruins’ season opener against Indiana State on Friday night, before a celebration of the reopening of newly renovated Pauley Pavilion.

“The NCAA has finally determined that a violation of the NCAA amateurism rules has occurred involving UCLA freshman guard Shabazz Muhammad and his family,” Guerrero said. “As a result, he is ineligible for competition at this time. We are extremely disappointed that the NCAA has made this determination.”

Guerrero said, “The decision is incorrect and unjust to Shabazz.”

He said the school will pursue its options to challenge the NCAA ruling.

The NCAA didn’t give a timetable of ineligibility for Muhammad, the highly touted recruit who led Bishop Gorman to the Nevada Class 4A state title earlier this year. The NCAA said he was not eligible to compete in Friday night’s game because Muhammad “accepted travel and lodging during three unofficial visits to two NCAA member schools.”

The long-awaited decision about Muhammad overshadowed the first game in new Pauley Pavilion, which opened after an 18-month, $132 million renovation. He watched the game from the bench dressed in a blue UCLA sweat suit. The Bruins won, 86-59.

In the closing minutes, fans chanted “Free Shabazz.”

Before the game, Muhammad tweeted, “Cool shirts some fans made and will wear tonight if I don’t play in the game!!!!” He attached a photo of a blue T-shirt with his face that said “Free Shabazz.”

The NCAA had been investigating Muhammad for months involving improper benefits he received in his recruitment from boosters of his Las Vegas AAU program and the acceptance of airline flights for some of his recruiting visits. He chose UCLA over Kentucky and Duke.

The NCAA said its staff requested specific documents on July 31 to help evaluate Muhammad’s eligibility, but its enforcement staff didn’t receive the majority of the requested documents for review until Sept. 25.

Muhammad’s parents were interviewed last week, the NCAA said. NCAA staff and UCLA submitted the agreed-upon facts Friday, and a decision was rendered within hours.