Double Your Pleasure, Wear Twins Sign With UCLA
By Bruin Basketball Report
Sophomore forwards David and Travis Wear have signed written offers of financial aid and will attend UCLA this coming year, Bruin men's basketball head coach Ben Howland announced today.
The Wears (6-10, 230), who both earned McDonald's All-America honors at Mater Dei High School in Orange County, played this past season at North Carolina and received their releases earlier this month. They will redshirt in 2010-11 per NCAA rule and have three years of eligibility beginning in 2011-12.
"I am absolutely ecstatic about Dave and Travis joining our program," said Howland. "Both are outstanding players. They are highly-skilled good athletes who are hard workers and extremely motivated to be at their best. They are constantly working hard on their overall game."
The Wear twins, who reside in Huntington Beach, Calif., and were McDonald's All-Americans in high school, were close to committing to UCLA out of powerhouse Mater Dei High School but chose North Carolina instead.
"I've always thought the world of them, both as players and as young men," said Howland, adding he knows the twins well enough to tell them apart.
"They are a great addition to our program, not only as players but as people. They come from a great family and from one of the best high school programs in the country in Mater Dei, coached by Gary McKnight."
Father Dave Wear notified North Carolina coach Roy Williams of his sons' intentions to transfer May 5. Williams said at the time that the twins' request for their scholarship releases "came as a complete surprise."
Wear said UCLA was one of many high-profile programs that reached out to the family after his sons' decision.
The brothers each averaged 10 or more minutes per game as freshmen at Chapel Hill. Travis averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while Davis contributed 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds a game.
"They're going to get better and better because of their work ethic and drive to be great," Howland said.
The twins have three years of eligibility remaining and should provide a frontcourt presence for the Bruins after redshirting the coming season due to transfer rules. Both are planning to enroll in the first summer school session at UCLA.
BBR :: Article Link :: 3:41 PM ::
27 comments
27 Comments:
Wow.
PG Jones, Anderson
SG Lee, Lamb, Carlino
C Smith, Stover
PF Nelson, Lane, (Wear and Wear)
SF Honeycutt
Hopefully Lee or Lamb can swing to SF
One scholarship left for Dawson next year unless someone leaves....
Sweet
Let's not marinate in negativity, but let's embrace the twins! This team needs our support the next couple of seasons!
Actually... I think the depth chart will be:
PG - Anderson, Jones (Carlino)
SG - Lee, Lamb (Carlino)
SF - Honeycutt
PF - Nelson, Lane (Wear Bros)
C - Smith, Stover
Ok, at first I was borderline. Now, I am all for it. Why? First off, #1 Howland is super excited! He is our leader. #2 I see this as bringing "Ben-ball" warriors back. #3 These kids are fundamentally sound, smart, hard-working big guys. #4 It will make practices better. #5 They get a whole year to develop further and push our other bigs. #6 They can play against Kevin Love and Mbah etc. all summer. #7 It allows us to focus in on the top PG/SG's in the country...I admit, I have changed my mind.
GO BRUINS
Attention All Future Basketball Recruits:
You would be a fool to not play for Coach Howland and develop your game for the NBA.
Remi Barry - Join us in Westwood. If you are a baller, you will not pick ASU (too small of a city, no history) or even consider St. John's (no history, too cold, bad coach). Come where the competition is, the ladies, the beaches (you r French?) and bring your "A" game if ESPN said you are a top 30 H.S. plyr in 2010.
It's a no brainer U-C-L-A
Shout out to COACH HOWLAND!! Crack the DOM CBH
Hey WEARS...TAPE YOUR SUMMER LEAGUE GAMES AT PAULEY...K LOVE MIGHT INITIALLY SCHOOL YOU, BUT YOU WILL ONLY IMPROVE
That's our BFan!!! Looking forward to cracking open a few this year and chugging some victory swigs, not to mention the year after and year after!
GO BRUINS!
GO BRUINS!
Definitely..I've been yelling for bigs...we got em...now focus on the 1's and 2's...and a SF Remi Barry I guess...cuz Honeycutt will be gone nxt yr...u agree?
Bruin Fan,
Nice to see you back on the Howland bandwagon. Oh how quickly people turn. I wish everyone would just take a deep breathe and realize Howland is a great coach(regardless of the wears) and knows what he is doing. Really was annoyed how people turned on him last year, just for one bad season after 5 stellar ones. Regardless, SUPER pumped for the wear twins and just can't express how happy I am we got them. Ucla will be good very soon and at the least much improved next year with 2 6'10 guys hammering on Josh Smith. Should be fun and just remember to STAY loyal and NO bandwagon fans.
Bruin for life
That's the spirit B-Fan - Coach IS our leader, and we must believe, come rain or shine.
Coach Wooden didn't win the Pac-8 in 1965-66 and the fans never blinked. Neither did Coach.
I speak to someone from Honeycutt's inner-circle regularly and I can guarantee you he will test the NBA waters at season's end!
The double-edge sword is that I hope he has a great enough season where he would go as a lottery pick, but then again we lose him. But probably expect the same from Lee in regards to checking out the draft.
Also if you remember, CBH has publicly stated that if one of his kids is an early first rounder he will always promote them to go to the higher level!
Newsflash:
Malcomn Lee tore his knee...
I am thrilled the the Wear Twins will be Bruins in 17 months, but don't expect the Bruins to be any better in 2010-2011.
They have not addressed the point guard and shooting guard issues if they are even considering Anderson and Lee for those spots. They do not deserve to be on the team. They had their chance and they could not compete at this level. Make Lee a defensive stopper and show Anderson the door.
ON the front line, we have a lot of bangers, but nobody that can create his own shot; maybe Honeycutt can, but Nelson (who is the heart and soul of this team) needs to work hard on his 10-12 foot game to be effective. Smith is overweight and will be run off the court unless he sheds 70 pounds. No easy feat given the eateries around Westwood.
If Jones can handle the point and Lamb and Carlino can get us 10 points a game, it will be great. Roll will be missed.
They still have a terrible trainer and conditioning coach and Smith is not going to be in game shape come October/November.
This is Nelson's team to lead. Honeycutt is a talent but he is prone to inconsistency. If Jones can limit team turnovers to 10-12 a game, we will be fine.
Unless he has some guys who can bury threes like Duke can, any team that plays zone defense will hold them to under 50 points. He simply does not have teh talent to dribble penetrate the zone (unless Jones can do it), and dish to Nelson and Smith inside.
If he has the wing players that can run; have a deep bench of 9-10 guys giving him quality minutes they might finish in the top half of the Pac 10; but I wouldnt hold my breath.
Talks of Honeycutt and Lee going to the NBA are ludicrous. They are not in the top 200 players in college ball today.
Howland didn't recruit well. He got lucky with the Wears because they are hometown kids who were homesick.
Carolina will be a top 10 team again and UCLA will be waiting yet another year for the Wears to contribute.
These are the facts. Mising out on the two Michigan boys at the gurad position really hurt Howland.
Let it be written ... let it be heard. They will not be ranked in the top 50 when the season opens next year.
I repeat Honeycutt and Lee will test the NBA waters at season's end. While I agree they should be not considered unless they show great strides this year, I never in my right mind would have thought Holiday would be first round with the season he produced!
It is getting harder and harder to keep young kids loyal to their university any longer. If a kid can get paid to be an NBA 11th or 12th man over being the "go to" guy on their college team, they all seem to go for the bucks!
If Honeycutt and Lee play it smart they won't hire an agent before applying so they can see where the interest is. Otherwise they may have a "regular" job like the rest of us in a couple of years! You have to play like a Westbrook or Love in college to even think you will play at that level in the NBA!
Jammer, Please try to temper your unbridled optimism! Actually, I think there is some room for optimism - or at least improvement over this year's team. Having lost their gunners should change the personality of next year's team. They'll only need enough 3-pointers to keep the defenses honest. If the on-ball defense at the guard position improves, then I think we'll be just fine.
I agree. Jammer you sound ridiculous predicting us to do so bad when the summer hasn't even started yet. I think you should relax and realize a lot can change in year. Players get better, and summer workouts with pro's can only help maturation. Looking forward to you eating your words and seeing our bruins win a Pac-1o championship next year! Honneycutt will be a stud and so will tyler lamb.
Nor Cal. It's absolutely understandable that you would like me to eat my words, but I don't believe your read them very well. Howland has yet to prove that he can play a motion offense similar to Butler or Duke that can beat a good zone defense. He simply doesn't have the shooters to shoot from the perimeter or the smarts for them to find the seams in a zone with Lamb and Carlino. Hoeycutt is a scorer, not a shooter. The last good shooter out of Westwood was Kapono and before him, a guy named Miller.
They are going to be very young; very untested and prone to mistakes. If they turn the ball over 15-20 times a game their winning %age will go down.
There was a lack of unity in that locker room and no real leadership. Who is going to be the leader on this team? Whose team is it? Nelson may have the inside track because he leads by example. With Lee out 8-10 weeks, Jones better come in to play the point. Anderson is a Div 3 player at best and should go.
Who will be Howland's loyal puppy this year despite dreadful play and stats? Leaving Drags in, cost the team dearly. Howland didn't give these Frosh a chance to play and the 2nd and 3rd year guys are as green as the rookies.
I pray I am wrong, but this team will not win more than 14 games unless the Freshman simply explode and play with fire every possession.
If they keep everyone and the Wears deliver; then we can talk about a Pac 10 championship a year from now.
It begins with great guard play ... check out the final four teams and you will have your answer.
I have been a Bruin fan longer than you've been alive and watched Wooden coach some great unselfish kids. That seems to be lacking in Westwood these days.
It's ironic that the student (Jamie Dixon) is doing so much better than the teacher.
Let's see what happens.
Jammer,
I love your focus and how much you time you put into analyzing our Bruin basketball team. That is always commendable as I do love my bruins as well. My only hope is that you don't over analyze and realize there are many ways to win in basketball. You mentioned he can't play a motion offense or win with shooters like lamb & carlino. Have you ever seen them play? Or also why do you think players can't get better? Billy Knight was an OUTSTANDING shooter and he didn't play at all his first 2 years. Matt Barnes was INCREDIBLE his senior year and he was garbage his first 2. Also knowone, even the most postiive individual, would think Darren Collision would have become the shooter he was and it just goes to show you players improve. Also leaders emerge and instead of a negative outlook about the season, why not be pumped at who is going to step up and be a big time player. You can't make those comments already and to say Jamie Dixon is a better coach than Howland is ridiculous. Besides Michigan St, which team can you remember in recent times going to 3 consecutive final fours. Pretty impressive and pretty sad sometimes how Bruin fans have such a short memory. We should have come out with a National Championship in atleast one of them, but still impressive none the less
Jammer-
You are an ass! Stop posting your comments. You are not a Bruin fan. I have read your comments a few years back when the Bruins were doing well. You seemed to like Howland just fine then. We don't need your negative energy.
D Brew --
Don't bury your head in the sand. The facts are facts. I was bang on with their total win this past year. Take a look at who they lost to early in the season and you will understand that teams in the state (Not Pac 10)who were more athletic and ran them off the court. Can you honestly tell me that the Bruins have an identity as a team? A Howland defensive team? A fast break team? A perimeter team? A motion offense team? A full court pressure team? What are they? That identity comes from their coach who has a reputation forbeing a hard nosed man to man defense guru. Where did the Bruins rank defensively last year?
I want to see them succeed as much as you do. If my "negative energy" is going to prevent them from being a top 25 team; they are in a world of hurt.
You can call me what you want; but Anderson cost us a lot of possessions and games; for him to be even considered in the 10 man rotation shows the talent level.
Nor Cal:
Thanks for your civility. You are right; let's watch and see what happens this year. Can't deny that they will be young and prone to mistakes. They simply need to outwork their opponents every possession. If we can keep these guys in Westwood for more thanm 2 years, we will be fine. I love Matt Barnes as a pro and loved him as a Bruin. Nelseon will be that guy; but even better. Honeycutt is good but they have to build a system around his scoring skills. The Wear brothers have a great upside. I hope Smith comes to camp in good shape and Lee comes out of surgery bettyer than ever. He is their best on ball defender (ala Derek Fisher).
They have had a great run ... 3 final fours, but were they really one of the best 4 teams in the country when all was said and done in each of those years?
My comments are all about the future potential. Let's not bask in the past. Even the ailing Wizard himself would like a better effort and product to come out on the court that bears Nell and hios name.
Well said Jammer. Well said
Don't count out Anderson yet, he may only lack confidence or you may be right; as most say he's soft, slow and can't shoot. On the other had, shooting is confidence, so is ball handling. Let's wait and see. Notwithstanding, big Ben is trying to bolster the PG spot, don't under estimate him. No one thouht Collison was that good coming out of H.S. and now he can start at N.O., despite what Rose did to him
you are welcome to the wear twins....dad will be on your coaches ass over playing time and starting...if they don't get what they want...(can you say long beach state....papperdine etc..keep pops away or they'll be ruined
I agree Jammer; Anderson is a bust big time and not the superstar many thought he would be. He's not a good shooter or a good passer. His bad pass luckily bounced to Mike Roll against Cal for the winning shot but it's painful to watch him.
UCLA is a couple of years away. They will be back when the Wear twins play.
Howland still hasn't proven he can coach an offense good enough to win the big one and the Bruins are a year or two away from being really good again. They just can't shoot or score consistently to keep up with anyone.
You do have to give it up though for all the players that left early the last 4 years and Howland deserves props and should be given a chance to rebuild.
thanks
I totally disagree; He's just not that good so far; Anderson is a terrible passer and not a good shooter and he lacks quickness. Not exactly the makings of a superstar point guard.
Dondo you are right on. I remember an interview with the Wears dad when they signed with the Tar Heels. His dad had them in the pro's already by going to NC.
Too many parents ruining kids; dad, cheer on the sidelines and stop with the interviews.
Wears are Orange County kids same as King, Anderson and other losers
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