Tristan Etienne, a 6-foot-9 freshman forward from Abbotsford, B.C., left the University of Washington basketball program effective immediately. According to a press release issued by the school, Etienne will remain enrolled for fall quarter and will not pursue a transfer at this time.
“We are truly sorry to see Tristan leave us,” said head coach Lorenzo Romar. “In his short time here, he has been a model citizen and shown to be a high level student. We wish him the best.”
The Huskies provided no explanation for what prompted Etienne’s decision. It leaves Washington’s depth on the front line lacking. Romar has only four players taller than 6-foot-7: Jernard Jarreau (6-10, junior), Robert Upshaw (6-11, sophomore), Shawn Kemp Jr. (6-9, senior) and Gilles Dierickx (7-0, junior).
Jarreau missed most of last season recuperating from knee surgery. Upshaw is a transfer from Fresno State.
Etienne, who underwent open heart surgery in January of 2012 to repair a congenital disorder, committed to Washington in July, 2013, after he had garnered interest from Portland, Portland State and UC Irvine. Etienne played under the radar during his high school years, but drew the interest of Romar and his staff after attending camps at Washington.
1 Comment
Always disappointing to see a player leave the program. Hope his decision works out for him.