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UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad is actually 20 years old, father confirms
UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad is actually 20 years ago, not 19 as listed in the team’s media guide. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
As UCLA star forward Shabazz Muhammad prepares for his team’s second round matchup against Minnesota in the NCAA tournament, a season filled with controversy for the freshman just got stranger.
Earlier this season, Muhammad missed three games after the NCAA had questions about extra benefits received during unofficial university visits. Now in an article in the Los Angeles Times, Muhammad’s father, Ron Holmes, admits that he lied about his son’s age.
In the interview, a reporter asked about the discrepancy, as UCLA’s media guide says Muhammad was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 13, 1993.
“It must be a mistake,” Holmes said, saying that his son is 19 and was born in Nevada.
Holmes later admitted that Muhammad is 20 years old.
A copy of Shabazz Nagee Muhammad’s birth certificate on file with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health shows that he was born at Long Beach Memorial Hospital exactly one year earlier, making him 20 years old — not 19 as widely reported.
Holmes doesn’t think disclosure of his son’s true age and his own criminal record, also reported in the Los Angeles Times article, are newsworthy. He sent the following text message to the reporter.
“Bazz is going to blow up in the NBA lets team up and blow this thing up!!!” Holmes wrote to this reporter. “I’m going to need a publicist anyway why shouldn’t it be you. We can do some big things together.”
Muhammad is UCLA’s leading scorer this season at 17.7 points per game and also averages 5.3 rebounds.
20? LOL I saw him play last year in a high school game and remarked at the time that facially he looked 25.
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LikeTom O'Brien That Picture Made Shabazz Look Like An 25 Year Old
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LikeThe issue is not whether holdbacks are allowed (which they are under strict guidelines) but the fact that they lied about his age for years and appears to have submitted false documents. Btw, it's not discriminating to limit the age of athletes in high school otherwise unscrupulous people would have 20+ year olds competing.
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Like2 simple questions that should be easy enought to track. Has Shabazz been a year behind in age since elementry school or was the change done later in life when he would have known. And the most important. How long till Shabazz realizes he needs to cut ties from his father at least till he gets his feet on the ground and his professional career pointed in the right direction. When it seems this obvious to everyone else that the man is trouble and not a good example for his son to follow. Its tough to be the man in the family but in this case the 20 year old needs to make sure the older man has grown up.
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LikeFunny how he doesn't think it's newsworthy. yet he thinks it's important enough to lie about it.
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LikeUmm, no wonder the scouts say he ha an "NBA-ready body"! Liar liar, pants are definitely on fire.
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LikeShabazz better re-evaluate the true motives and concerns of his parents, it may just end up hurting him more in the future. I'm sure NBA teams are already looking at this with raised concerns. Talented man, none the less
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Likemag3rzakar1a1 because the NBA is full of class acts and would never pay big money for trouble....
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LikeAdamSWalburger SMH. Everybody knows a part of the draft process is the character analysis which is is common in professional sports in general. Teams do this to avoid boneheads whose character may negatively influence their play and if their worth the risk to the team chemistry, budget. Pacman Jones, Dez Bryant, Yancy Gates,Titus Young, Justin Blackmon, Janoris Jenkins, Royce White, Dion Waiters, Quincy Miller, Lance Stephenson, Chris Rainey, Dre Kirkpatrick. Need a say more or do I need to include Mathieu, Jarvis Jones and Teo.
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Likemag3rzakar1a1 I Bet You Dwight Howard Is Frowning Upon This He Worked His Ass Off In High School Just To Make It To The NBA
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LikeAnd just why in the hell would daddy need a publicist? This is a criminal looking to get rich off his son. Hope the NBA teams tell sonny that if daddy says a word, he will never play a day in the NBA.
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LikeCool Sure, professional teams are always looking to ignore talent because of their family members.
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LikeIn California, with his birth date, he should have been a senior in high school when he was a sophomore. A lot of kids do a "developmental kindergarten" when they are close to the cutoff date, especially boys with fathers who see benefits in athletics. His father doubled-down, and pushed him back 2 years. Why isn't anyone pointing this out?
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LikeERMertens What should be done about it now? Or should those kindergarten kids start a class action lawsuit?
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Likehey, Bazz it's me,Man'ti, give me a call !!
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LikeAnother guy with a talent for finding trouble.
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LikeA talent, but a potentially serious problem. The NBA doesn't care as much as the NFL, but this guy has many issues. Starting with the truth.
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LikeThey (NBA) will care in that they will wonder what type of nut job they are going to have on their hands...dad included. 1st rule of nut job is "Do not reveal yourself until after you sign a guaranteed contract"
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Likedeanthology ya mean all those nut jobs in the DR who say they're a year older than they are so they can get drafted at their youngest and begin bringing in some big money for the first time in their families' existence? yeah, very "nutty"", MLB would never keep them once they're found out, right? Shabazz under the influence of HIS father did the same thing in reverse. The NBA will still sign him 1st round, if after this last stinker of a game he files for the draft. We may see him back in school playing for Ucla as a 21-yr old soph, and who bleepin cares except racist/purist/hater types??
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LikeWhat is illegal enough to cause that?
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LikeUCLA and the NBA won't care but the high school he attended last year will. They are now looking at getting their season vacated including any post season titles earned if ANYONE is remotely interested in such an action for using an illegal player; in most (all?) states, you are only eligible to play HS sports your senior year if you are no older than 18 at the beginning of the school year.
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Likejrholtman The NBA will care. The difference between someone who can do what he does at 19 or at 20 is huge. He's not so amazing as a 20 year old. There is less of his learning curve left ahead than people thought.
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Likejrholtman
By my math, he turned 19 in November of his senior year.
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Likejrholtman It seems like you are making up rules. I have a hard time believing that high school would discriminate against people who have been held back. I'm willing to bet that there are plenty of high school athletes that are over the age of 18. Especially since its in the best interest of some students to repeat a grade. They could have learning disabilties, problems at home or many other legitimate issues.
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Likejrholtman Oh yeah, I love how people just make stuff up. I'm glad we have the interwebs.
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Like@CoreyRSanity, perhaps you missed the story of the kid with downs syndrome who was denied a chance to play because he was 19? Yeah, it happens.
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LikeCoreyRSanity jrholtman The idea that you have a hard time believing the rules are there doesn't mean they aren't. I have a hard time believing anyone would make a comment like yours without bothering to check some facts. Most state associations that govern high school athletics DO have rules regarding age, specifically to deal with situations as described here. They do grant exceptions, but it's neither automatic nor routine.
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LikeCoreyRSanity jrholtman yeah I have a relative that had to repeat a grade. his birthday was in June so as a senior 19 going into the school year, so he dropped out when he found he couldn't play sports......
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LikeAdamSWalburger CoreyRSanity jrholtman Dwight's Actual Birthday Is December 8, 1985 He's Just 27 Years Old He Attended College In 2004 And Went Pro In The Same Year
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Likejrholtman
1. AGE — A Student, whose 19th birthday is attained prior to June 15, shall not participate or practice on any team in the following school year. (Bylaw 203)
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Likejrholtman "high school records" forfeited?? heaven forfend. not even the coach could give a poop, or he needs therapy for anal retention.
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