Belgian freshman Omar Thielemans is leaving the Arizona basketball program.
Arizona announced his departure Wednesday morning, saying Thielemans would transfer.
鈥淥mar is a great young man and we wish him the best going forward,鈥 coach Sean Miller said in a statement.
Thielemans forwarded a聽聽tweet to a Star reporter Tuesday night saying he would leave. When asked why, Thielemans said via direct message to "stay tuned... you'll know soon."
A 6-foot-7-inch forward who committed to Arizona last April, Thielemans did not play in UA's Red-Blue Game for what the school termed "personal reasons" and Miller said afterward that Thielemans has also missed practices.
Thielemans was not expected to crack UA's rotation this season. When asked at UA's media day on Oct. 1 what he had seen of Thielemans so far, Miller said:
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"You know, Omar is a great kid and he's really in a transition from FIBA basketball and playing in Europe to playing college basketball at a high level. I think the best years are ahead of him. I think he's more of a developmental player, development being at the forefront of what we're trying to do. We're excited to have him as part of our program."
Thielemans said last spring he was on track to receive a pro offer in Europe, though it isn't clear if he would pursue that or transfer to another school.聽
Thielemans' departure will open another scholarship for the 2019-20 season. Arizona already has commitments for its four other expected openings, with guards Nico Mannion and Josh Green plus forward Stone Gettings and center Christian Koloko. A grad transfer from Cornell, Gettings is scheduled to arrive in December but not play until next season.
Arizona's 2018-19 roster now looks like this:
Updated: Meet the Arizona Wildcats' 2018-19 men's basketball team
Devonaire Doutrive
Devonaire Doutrive poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听1
Position:听骋耻补谤诲
Class: Freshman
Height:听6-5
Weight:听175 pounds
Hometown:聽Dallas, Texas (Birmingham HS, California)
Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number: 2
Position: Guard
颁濒补蝉蝉:听Freshman
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190 pounds
Hometown: Los Angeles (Crespi Carmelite HS)
Arizona point guard Brandon Williams on his freshman experience at UA and why he chose the Wildcats:
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
狈耻尘产别谤:听3
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Guard
Class: Redshirt junior
贬别颈驳丑迟:听6-5
奥别颈驳丑迟:听170
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama (Stafford HS, UNC Asheville)
Chase Jeter
Chase Jeter poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
狈耻尘产别谤:听4
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Center/forward
颁濒补蝉蝉:听Redshirt junior
贬别颈驳丑迟:听6-10
奥别颈驳丑迟:听230 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman HS, Duke)
Chase Jeter expresses his passion for Fortnite. 鈥淚鈥檓 an architect at Fortnite.鈥
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Brandon Randolph
Arizona guard Brandon Randolph (5) goes over the top of Arizona guard Justin Coleman (12) for a score.
狈耻尘产别谤:听5
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Guard
Class: Sophomore
贬别颈驳丑迟:听6-6
奥别颈驳丑迟:听175 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Yonkers, New York
Brandon Randolph on Arizona鈥檚 expectations as a team: 鈥淲e expect to make it into the tournament and we expect to go far in the tournament. There鈥檚 no difference between last year and this year.鈥
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Ryan Luther
Ryan Luther poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
狈耻尘产别谤:听10
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Forward
颁濒补蝉蝉:听Senior (Graduate transfer)
贬别颈驳丑迟:听6-9
奥别颈驳丑迟:听225 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Gibsonia, Pennsylvania (Hampton HS, Pitt)
Ira Lee
Ira Lee poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
狈耻尘产别谤:听11
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Forward
颁濒补蝉蝉:听Sophomore
贬别颈驳丑迟:听6-7
奥别颈驳丑迟:听235 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Los Angeles (Crossroads HS)
Arizona forward Ira Lee () walks us through this tattoos, which honors his Korean roots and late grandmother.
鈥 Justin Spears (@JustinESports)
Justin Coleman
Justin Coleman poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
狈耻尘产别谤:听12
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍:听Point guard
颁濒补蝉蝉:听Senior (Graduate transfer)
贬别颈驳丑迟:听5-10
奥别颈驳丑迟:听170 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Birmingham, Alabama (Wenonah HS, Alabama, Samford)
Arizona grad transfer PG Justin Coleman on his previous coaches and Sean Miller: 鈥淗e鈥檚 just real.鈥
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Alex Barcello
Alex Barcello poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听23
Position:听骋耻补谤诲
Class:听厂辞辫丑辞尘辞谤别
Height:听6-2
Weight:听180 pounds
Hometown:聽Chandler, Arizona (Corona del Sol HS)
Emmanuel Akot
Emmanuel Akot poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听24
Position:听贵辞谤飞补谤诲
Class:听厂辞辫丑辞尘辞谤别
Height:听6-7
Weight:聽200 pounds
Hometown:聽Winnipeg, Manitoba
Arizona forward Emmanuel Akot on the Wildcats this season: 鈥淲e all have a chip on our shoulder.鈥
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Alec Spence
Alec Spence poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听50
Position:听骋耻补谤诲
Class:聽Freshman (Walk-on)
Height:听6-6
Weight:听195 pounds
Hometown:聽St. Louis (Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School)
Kory Jones
Kory Jones poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听52
Position:听骋耻补谤诲
Class:聽Redshirt sophomore (Walk-on)
Height:听6-3
Weight:听170 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Herndon, Virginia (Westfield HS)
Matt Weyand
Matt Weyand poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听54
Position:听贵辞谤飞补谤诲
Class:听厂辞辫丑辞尘辞谤别 (Walk-on)
Height:听6-5
Weight:听190 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Irvine, California (Mater Dei HS)
Jake DesJardins
Jake Desjardins poses for a photo during media day at McKale Center on October 1, 2018.
Number:听55
Position:听贵辞谤飞补谤诲
Class:听闯耻苍颈辞谤
Height:听6-6
Weight:聽215 pounds
贬辞尘别迟辞飞苍:听Henderson, Nevada (Coronado HS)
Former walk-on breaks down how he was awarded a scholarship before the season:
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at 573-4146 or bpascoe@tucson.com. On Twitter @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
