Following a disappointing end to the Boston University men’s basketball team’s season and the subsequent firing of head coach Dennis Wolff nearly three months ago, reigning America East Rookie of the Year Jake O’Brien was granted his release from the program.
In a stunning turnaround, new head coach Patrick Chambers announced Wednesday that O’Brien will return to BU for his sophomore season.
‘It was definitely a tough decision,’ O’Brien, 20, told FOXSports.com. ‘I learned a lot about myself in the past month. But I think what I learned the most was that BU is the place for me.’
In one of the most accomplished rookie campaigns in program history, the Weymouth, Mass., native averaged 12.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season, good for third and fourth on the team, respectively. The 6-foot-8 forward played 1,043 minutes, a BU rookie record, as the Terriers finished 17-13 for their first winning season since 2005.
But after the team’s first-round exit in the America East Tournament and the firing of Wolff, O’Brien began to question his future with the program.
‘From a basketball standpoint, I feel like I had a good enough year where I could play at a higher level,’ O’Brien told The Daily Free Press on April 15. ‘The fact that there’s a whole new coaching staff is disappointing, because I came in here thinking I’m playing for Coach Wolff. That was a big change, so I felt that it benefited me to look at other options.’
By late May, O’Brien had visited St. Joseph’s University and Xavier University.
‘I’m exploring my options at this point and seeing what works best for me,’ O’Brien told The Boston Globe on May 28.
A few weeks later, O’Brien decided to return to Boston.
‘Ultimately, it was just a gut instinct,’ O’Brien told The Globe. ‘I’ve seen a lot of schools over the last month, and it showed me what I really wanted.’
BU now welcomes back its top three scorers from last season in junior forward John Holland and senior guard Corey Lowe — First-Team All-America East selections in 2008-09 — and O’Brien. Also coming back from season-ending injuries last season are senior guards Tyler Morris and Carlos Strong. The Terriers return nine total seniors.
‘Our players and coaching staff are excited about Jake’s return,’ Chambers said in a statement issued June 10. ‘We look forward to working with him and preparing for what we hope will be a successful season.’
Attempts to reach Chambers and O’Brien for comment were declined by the BU athletic department.
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