Shabazz Not Going to China with UCLA Basketball, is Howland Cursed?

Or is this some sort of karmic payback? In any case UCLA is now down to eight players for the trip to China as Shabazz is now not going to play:

Tracy Pierson of Scout.com (subscription) reports that prized freshman wing Shabazz Muhammad will not travel to China with UCLA at the end of the month for the Bruins' three preseason games there.

According to Adam Z this is erring on the side of caution

"Since the investigation won't be totally clear, they wanted to hold him out for China," a source with direct knowledge who requested anonymity because he is not permitted to comment on the ongoing NCAA investigation told SNY.tv.

As a result, Muhammad won't make the trip to China beginning Aug. 22.

Earlier the LA Times said things were going well.

UCLA is also expecting good news on Shabazz Muhammad. The NCAA has reportedly been investigating the financial dealings between the Muhammad family and family friends Benjamin Lincoln and Ken Kavanagh to determine whether there were any violations. Lincoln paid for two unofficial visits to college campuses [Duke and NC]. Kavanagh helped finance Muhammad's summer traveling team.

"We showed the NCAA that we have done everything correctly," Muhammad said. "I haven't broken any rules. I expect to play in the first game, when we open against Indiana State."

But here is the deal. Of the fab four freshman, Kyle Anderson missed the first practices because of a pre-existing injury. Shabazz had a high ankle sprain and missed many. Then Tony Parker got hurt and is out for China.

The #1 recruiting class have not practiced together when they were all healthy. To say nothing of Stover leaving. UCLA is down to 8 scholarship players but more importantly the entire team has yet to play together.

This is getting ridiculous.