We have news now, both in the previous thread and… well, all over the Internet, that Ryan Harrow is leaving Kentucky for Georgia State. The story was first reported by Jeff Goodman:
Harrow, according to a source, will request a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately due to a health issue with his father. If he receives the waiver, he’ll have two years remaining to play for Ron Hunter at Georgia State.
I suspect the waiver will be granted, as the NCAA has been very lenient with these recently due to the outcry about coaches having the freedom to relocate at will, and the players having to serve a year in residence. Here’s hoping Harrow’s waiver is granted.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Rob Dauster) has more:
Harrow said he will miss Kentucky and has nothing but positive thoughts about the school and program. He said he just needed to return home to help take care of his father, who lives in College Park.
"I got better there," he said. "I built some relationships there. I know next year we would have been really good. It was just real important for me to be with my dad. With him being sick like this, I needed to be there with him."
I wonder if his father's illness had anything to do with the difficulty Harrow had early in the season? I would not be surprised to learn so, and I recall that he went home unexpectedly back early in the season when there was much speculation about Ryan's health, both physical and psychological.
I think we all wish Ryan Harrow well, and I do think this is best for both him and Kentucky, especially considering his struggles this season with how he was being asked to play the game. Georgia St. will give him a new opportunity to remake himself without the baggage of last season’s difficulties.
Also, I must be honest and tell you that many will conclude Harrow was run off by Calipari to make room for other players. Whether this has any basis in fact will likely never be known, so you are just going to have to embrace the hate, grin and bear the criticism. It will be directed both at Calipari and at the Big Blue Nation for putting up with him. Unfair? Yes. Inevitable? Unquestionably. I suggest you just ignore it and move on.
Godspeed, Ryan, and all the best.