Former Baylor guard L.J. Rose will transfer to Houston, the Cougars announced Friday. Rose will be eligible for the 2014-15 season, though both the school and Rose are seeking an NCAA waiver allowing his immediate eligibility.
"We are really excited that L.J. is joining our program," Houston coach James Dickey said. "He is a skilled guard who passes the ball extremely well, can score and is a very unselfish player with great leadership qualities. L.J. has great familiarity with our program and our players, and we look forward to having him as a part of our team."
Rose, a Houston native, told ESPN that his mother has lupus, and his desire to transfer is rooted in the fact that he would like to be closer to her.
"Family has always been the most important thing to me," Rose said. "With my mother's situation, [Houston] was the obvious choice."
Rose didn't get much clock in his lone season at Baylor -- he averaged just 0.9 points and 1.2 assists per game -- but he claims to have turned a corner thanks to his experience playing behind Big 12 scoring and assists leader Pierre Jackson.
"This past year I learned a lot, especially playing against Pierre every day [in practice]," Rose told ESPN. "I matured a lot. I feel like I'm ready to be an impact player. I just need an opportunity. Once I get that, it will be up to me to go out there and perform."
