From Baby Blue East To Baby Blue West

Wear twins now Bruins

Robbi Pickeral
robbi.pickeral@newsobserver.com

Posted: Tuesday, May. 25, 2010


UNC freshmen Travis Wear (43), and brother David Wear (34) photographed during the Tar Heels' media day on Thursday October 15, 2009 in the Smith Center. ROBERT WILLETT robert.willett@newsobserver.com

Former North Carolina forwards David and Travis Wear have signed written offers of financial aid at UCLA and will attend the school this coming year, Bruins coach Ben Howland announced today.

As per NCAA transfer rules, the sophomores will have to sit out a season.

"I am absolutely ecstatic about Dave and Travis joining our program," Howland said in a prepared statement released by the school. "Both are outstanding players. They are highly-skilled good athletes who are hard workers and extremely motivated to be at their best. They are constantly working hard on their overall game."

The 6-feet-10, 230 pound twins surprised everyone -- including UNC coach Roy Williams -- earlier this month when their father called Williams to request their release.

Last season, David Wear averaged 4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 27 games before having hip surgery that ended his season prematurely; he is not expected to be able to return to the court until June. Travis Wear averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds. Both were McDonalds All-Americans, and were expected to earn ample playing time next season behind probable starters Tyler Zeller and John Henson.

Their sudden departure left the Tar Heels thin in the post, although Alabama transfer Justin Knox committed to UNC on Monday, helping the depth issue.

The twins' father, Dave, told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that there was plenty of interest in his sons after they gained their release from Carolina.

"Some very high-profile schools reached out to us,'' he told the paper. "Some were willing to recruit one, the other or both of them. But the boys were adamant that they wanted to stay together."

He told the paper that whatever school they chose, it was going to be on the west coast (where their family lives): "The boys and their mother had no intention of going outside of this time zone."