What many had suspected for weeks was finally confirmed on Wednesday afternoon by the Arizona Wildcats: starting point guard Josiah Turner has elected to transfer from the UA. He has not selected a school as of yet and will likely make a decision in the near future.
Turner entered the UA last fall as one of the most highly regarded freshmen to ever step foot on campus. Incredibly talented, he struggled to live up to expectations both on and off the court. He was suspended numerous times by Sean Miller for conduct detrimental to the team, including a suspension for the Pac-12 Tournament.
Turner averaged 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29 games, starting in 17 of them.
"I learned a lot in my year at Arizona and would like to thank my coaches, teammates and the fans for all of their support," said Turner.
What does this mean for the Wildcats in 2012? Jordin Mayes and Nick Johnson will handle the point guard duties, with Mayes likely to become the starter given his experience running the position. Incoming freshman Gabe York could also see a few minutes at the one next season. All three are more of combo-guards than true point guards, so their development this summer is crucial for the UA to be successful next season.
"Josiah made a great deal of progress as a student-athlete in his year with us," said Arizona head coach Sean Miller. "He will finish this semester and leave in good academic standing. All of us at Arizona wish him well in his future."