After leaving the men’s basketball team on Friday, Cody Larson faces an uncertain future.
Larson could leave the sport altogether, transfer to another university or possibly return to the 10th-ranked Gators, coach Billy Donovan said. Regardless, Larson plans to finish out the fall semester at UF.
Donovan said he would welcome Larson back if the 6-foot-9 forward had a change of heart.
“If there’s anybody who knows about changing their mind, it’s me,” said Donovan, referring to his five-day stint in 2007 as coach of the Orlando Magic.
“If he legitimately felt like a week or two weeks from now that, ‘I miss this. I made a huge mistake.’ … He could come back to our team. I understand as a young kid right now, there’s a lot swirling around in his head. I am not at all pushing him to come back. I didn’t give him some motivational speech. The bottom line is if I really tried to persuade or influence him staying, at some point those feelings are going to resurface again.”
Donovan announced at the team’s media day on Oct. 10 that Larson would not play on scholarship in 2012-13 because of his failure to handle responsibilities on and off the court last season.
In February 2010, Larson received two years probation after sharing hydrocodone pills with a teammate.
Larson and senior Erik Murphy were arrested in April 2011 on charges of third-degree felony burglary.
Donovan said neither incident factored in Larson having his scholarship revoked.
According to Donovan, Larson was playing some of his best basketball in September and during the first two weeks of practice.
But the sophomore said in a UF release that he needed to focus on his personal life and academics.
“In this point in time, I don’t think he loves the game,” Donovan said.
“(He) just doesn’t love it, just doesn’t enjoy coming in and working.”
Larson recorded 12 points and 21 rebounds in 143 minutes across 25 contests in 2011-12.
His decision leaves the team thin in the frontcourt. Patric Young, Will Yeguete and Murphy are the only eligible players on the roster taller than 6 feet, 6 inches.
“I don’t think it’s a bad decision or a wrong decision,” Donovan said. “It’s his decision of what he thinks is best for him. … If he did come to me (about returning), I would be OK with that, but I would expect him to confront his team.”
Former Florida forward Cody Larson poses at the team’s media day on Oct. 10. Larson decided to leave the program on Friday.
