"Derrick has come to me repeatedly in the last two
months asking to return to our team. I have encouraged him to choose a
different path
over and over. He came to me one more time and asked for any option available to get back on the team," Pitino said in a statement released Tuesday night. "I have given him the
same option I
gave Scott Padgett when he played for me at Kentucky."
That means Caracter won't play this season, though he could return in 2009-10.
"If
Derrick is
willing to grow up in the game of life and we can help him
realize his
potential, then we are there to help him. But that's a big
if. He will
not be a part of our team next year. He will have to
measure up in
three areas -- as a student, as a person and as a
basketball player --
before I will entertain the possibility of him returning to
our team for
the 2009-10 season.
"We expect him to get a job, pay for
school on his
own, get in shape and abide by the other steps I have
reviewed with him.
If he measures up, then he can earn his way back. But
that remains to
be seen."