Let’s get right to the round up from what was a tough day for lot of UCLA basketball fans around this Nation. Here are the key grafs re. KL decision from Dohn’s report:

Again I wouldn’t advice anyone to hang on to any kind of glimmer of hope that KL will be in a UCLA basketball uniform next season. It’s not going to happen and frankly as I have said all season long it was never in the cards. We can’t get mad at gifted athletes such as KL who would have gone straight to the NBA if not for the current rules.

If you want to vent your frustrations and anger at someone, you should probably direct it towards folks who run NBA and other professional leagues in this country (I don't follow the current group of Lakers with the same emotional investment I followed Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Scott, Coop et al). They MTVized the sport in such a way that kids like KL, Kevin Durant, and other talented hoopsters grow up dreaming about living that glamour life so glorified by WWL and other outlets in the current corporate driven world of sports and entertainment industries.

All KL and other kids are doing are playing by the rules. He came to UCLA, gave everything he had on the court and did his best to totally fit in our extended community, and now that he has the opportunity to pursue his dreams, he is taking advantage of it. Nothing wrong with a kid pursuing his dreams and being happy. I wish him nothing but the best, and it is incredibly selfish for any of us to get upset with his decision when all along he has simply played by the rules and making smart decision.

As for the "legacy" issues here is what KL said about how he wants to do his part to always be a part of UCLA: I myself will probably not put KL in the same league as Ed O’Bannon (forget about Jabbar and Walton). However, if KL comes back and finishes up his degree, and promote our school and our program just like MJD, Baron Davis, JF, AA and other illustrious Bruins who left early to pursue their dreams (in MJD and Davis’s case – escape bad coaching), he will absolutely build his legacy here at UCLA. Coach Howland actually had a pretty interesting comment on this in the LA Times: Unlike Ariza RW has an opportunity to emerge as a first rounder but there actually may be a glimmer of hope about him returning to UCLA. From Dohn: Well I am not going to wish this kid flunk his NBA tryouts. I hope he blows up in his tryouts, impress the scouts and gets himself in a position to emerge as a sure fire top-20 pick. However, if he finds himself in a position where its not a certainty that he is a top-20 pick, and he comes back, well game on. But again I’d advise everyone here not to hold out hope and just get in the mindset that he is gone. I know that I don’t want to set myself up for disappointment.

In any event, given who is in charge of our program, there is no reason to be discouraged. From Chris Dufresne in the LA Times: Read rest of the article here, which emphasizes how Coach Howland has put together the kind of foundation in place that will allow UCLA to withstand these kinds of shocks (a reality in today’s hoops world) and bounce back sooner or later.

As for bouncing back, Coach Howland is waiting to see what transpires in the coming weeks: From the LA Times on upcoming decisions: I have seen some consternation around here as people are wondering why these kids would consider leaving early. Let me just zero in on AA2 and LRMAM, because those two kids can really help our program if they come back next season. I posted this already last week but I will do it again. Here was Coach Howland on AA2’s situation: I know everyone wants both AA2 and LRMAM to come back badly. But put yourself in AA2’s large shoes. He has been with us for three years literally giving his blood (and broken bones), leaving everything on the court (while terrorizing opponents and team-mates in practices …lol). He has kicked ass in class room. He is on track to graduate and oh by the way he has already experienced 3 Pac-10 championships and 3 Final-4s, a run unmatched by any other junior class in post Wooden era. So what’s wrong with the scenario if he just wants to try out something else and oh I don’t know … delve more into academics?

Same with LRMAM, another kid leaving thousands of miles away from his family, also on track to graduate early, and with a UCLA resume of hoops success unmatched by any other junior class in Post Wooden era. He is a junior. This is his last chance to test the NBA waters. So why not go out there this spring, participate in the NBA tryouts and see if he gets any signals from NBA club that would want him as a first round pick?

The decision making process kids like AA2 and LRMAM are going through makes all kind of sense to me. And I just don’t see why people should get bitter over it or try to look for something that isn’t there re. whether they are not excited to be back as Bruins. Same goes for JS, a kid who has been effected by 2 serious hip surgeries. JS despite his limited physical abilities gave what he had this year and did his best to play within the team game. I can understand why after four years of college basketball in which he played a key role in reestablishing UCLA as one of the elite program in the country, he wants to try something else.

So give these guys a little room and let the process work out. Once the smoke clears with Coach Howland in place even if the nuclear scenario has taken place, I feel good that we are going to be all right. There is no reason to get down.

GO BRUINS.