Feb. 18, 2000 SportsLine wire reports

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota coach Dan Monson won't speculate about the future of Joel Przybilla, but the center's parents confirmed their son probably will leave Minnesota for the NBA.

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After Minnesota's 89-80 loss to Illinois Thursday night, Monson said he hadn't talked to Przybilla, who was not at the game. Monson suspended the 7-foot-1 sophomore Tuesday for not paying enough attention to academics, but he left the way open for Przybilla to return.

But Przybilla's parents said their son's career at Minnesota likely was over. Doug Przybilla said it was the result of a long conflict between his son and Monson.

"My wife and I would have preferred he stay here," Doug Przybilla told the Star Tribune Thursday. "But it came to a point where he had basically had it."

Linda Przybilla told the newspaper that she and her husband told their son they would back whatever decision he made. Joel Przybilla had expressed frustration over coach Clem Haskins' ouster in the wake of an academic fraud scandal. The Gophers also have been banned for one year from postseason play.

Monson said Przybilla hadn't been attending classes since he was suspended. Przybilla could not be reached for comment Thursday and was said to be out of town.

The Saint Paul Pioneer Press first reported Thursday that sources close to Przybilla said the player would not return to the team this season and planned to enter the NBA draft.

This season, Przybilla averaged 17.2 points and 11.2 rebounds in 11 Big Ten games. He was recently chosen as the Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in an upset over Indiana.

There have been signs of tension between Monson and Przybilla since November when Przybilla took a short leave from the team for what were then termed "personal reasons."

Doug Przybilla said there probably was little chance his son would return to the program. "I think now there are too many bridges burned," he told the Pioneer Press. "It's come to the point where amends are hard to make."