Basketball freshman Wanaah Bail to miss four months
By Andrew Erickson
July 17, 2013 11:40 a.m.
On Tuesday, UCLA Athletics announced that men’s basketball freshman forward Wanaah Bail underwent left knee surgery on June 28 to repair torn cartilage. Bail is expected to miss four months while he rehabilitates the damaged cartilage, effective from the date of his surgery.
The eligibility of the 6-foot-9 forward from Houston is still in question for the 2013-2014 season. Bail graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School in 2012 and was initially signed on to play for then-coach Billy Gillispie at Texas Tech, but left the school’s basketball program just weeks after his arrival.
Because of his brief stint in Lubbock, it is unclear whether Bail will have to sit out the coming season in observance of NCAA transfer rules. UCLA said it is “continuing to work through the process to determine (Bail’s) status for the upcoming season.”
Bail, who was rated by ESPN as the No. 23 Class of 2012 basketball prospect in the state of Texas, has been taking summer classes at UCLA while working with first-year coach Steve Alford in preparation for the upcoming season.
A four month layoff would bring Bail back on Oct. 28, nearly two weeks before the Bruins open their season at home against Drexel University.
Compiled by Andrew Erickson, Bruin Sports senior staff.
