Just weeks after we named Arsalan Kazemi to the list of the top 10 Conference USA players for the coming season, Kazemi will no longer be playing for Rice.
The Iranian star has asked for his release and it has been granted by the Owls. Kazemi will be looking to catch on with one of six teams, according to CBS Sports.
It should be no surprise that Kazemi is looking to move up in the world. He has asked that the transfer request be sent to Kentucky, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State, Florida and Cincinnati, all schools that would have Kazemi showcasing his talents at the top level for his final season.
Kazemi was the top scorer for the Owls last season at 12.1 points per game, and he pulled in 340 rebounds, more than twice as many as any other player on the team, and a ridiculous total for any player. He grabbed 255 of those on the defensive end, ninth in the country overall.
The move achieved some initial derision on Twitter from Dan Wolken, who proclaimed that Kazemi is "overrated" (something that even Anthony Salom agreed with when we listed him No. 2 in CUSA this coming season).
@robdauster @andyglockner Kazemi is good and productive, but he's got some limitations that don't show up in the raw numbers. Overrated.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 18, 2012
More to come as this shakes out.