NCAA says Kentucky's Nerlens Noel cleared to complete
- Center is pivotal player in defending national champion's recruiting class
- Said John Calipari Wednesday morning on ESPN: "Everything is good go"
- NCAA spokesman confirmed that to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday afternoon
University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari said during an interview on ESPN on Wednesday morning that star freshman Nerlens Noel "is cleared to practice and cleared to play games."
Wednesday afternoon, NCAA spokesman Bob Williams confirmed that in an email to USA TODAY Sports. "Nerlens Noel is cleared to practice and compete," Williams wrote.
Sports Illustrated reported in August that the NCAA had expanded its review of Noel's eligibility. The report said the review was not on academics but on activities surrounding Noel's recruitment, including how he paid for unofficial campus visits.
Calipari, appearing on SportsCenter as part of a series of promotional interviews advancing of Wednesday night's all-access ESPN program about the UK program, was asked by ESPN's Hannah Storm about Noel's eligibility.
"He's cleared to practice and cleared to play in games. ... Everything is good to go," the coach said.
Kentucky, third in the USA TODAY Sports preseason coaches poll released Wednesday, opens Nov. 9 against Maryland at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Noel, the USA TODAY Sports national high school player of the year for 2012, originally was in the recruiting Class of 2013 but reclassified in February to this year's recruiting class. He announced his selection of Kentucky in April after averaging 12.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 blocked shots at Tilton (N.H.) School last season.
Contributing: Steve Jones, The Courier-Journal of Louisville