By ADAM ZAGORIA
PHILADELPHIA — Houston coach Kelvin Sampson says the school is still awaiting word on an NCAA waiver for Kansas transfer Quentin Grimes.
The 6-foot-5 Grimes tested the NBA waters last season at Kansas, and the Jayhawks then added several guards. Grimes then transferred and is looking for a waiver to play immediately for Houston, which was picked along with Memphis as the co-favorite in the American Athletic Conference.
“Just like anybody that was in this situation, I think he should be eligible to play,” Sampson said Monday at American Media Day. “He meets all the criteria, but you don’t know. Whatever they decide, we’ll react accordingly and we’ll do it the right way.”
Houston, Memphis picked to win the American
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) October 14, 2019
Cincy’s Jarron Cumberland Preseason POY
Memphis’ James Wiseman Preseason ROY pic.twitter.com/DEmt8ALpJe
Grimes, who traveled with Houston on its preseason trip to Italy and has gone through offseason conditioning, averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season.
“He’s another playmaker. I think he makes people better but he needs the ball in his hands,” Sampson said. “He and [redshirt junior DeJon] Jarreau, I watched them play together in Italy, they did a good job of playing off one another. He just makes your team better because you take somebody that would’ve started and
Houston lost four starters from last season’s team, but thinks the Cougars were chosen as the preseason favorite in part based on an expectation that Grimes will play.
“He’s a good player, it would help us a lot,” Sampson said. “Regardless of who we have, there’s an expectation for us to be successful. I’m sure that where we’re picked had a lot to do with Quentin being eligible because if he wasn’t eligible I doubt they’d have us picked at 1.”
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