Why Arizona has been unable to retire Jason Terry’s jersey

Whether it's Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby or Jason Gardner, Arizona has already retired the jerseys of many of its outstanding guards from coach Lute Olson's tenure.

Jason Terry leading the Mavs to an NBA title this week has reignited talk as to why he isn't among them.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, it isn't likely to happen anytime soon as a result of an investigation from more than a decade ago that revealed Terry took $11,500 in cash and benefits from agents prior to the 1998-99 season.Terry has since repaid Arizona for the $45,362 it forfeited after vacating its 1999 NCAA tournament appearance.

While both the Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen report that Arizona is open to the idea of retiring Terry's jersey, the Pac-10 and the NCAA must approve for that to happen. The Pac-10 resoundingly rejected that idea in a 2009 vote of the league's presidents, a decision unlikely to be overturned at a time when high-profile cases at USC, Tennessee and Ohio State have made universities extra sensitive to NCAA rules violations.

There's little doubt Terry possesses the on-court credentials to warrant his jersey hanging from the rafters at the McKale Center. Terry averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 assists and 2.7 steals during a brilliant final season in Tucson, earning the Pac-10 player of the year award, first-team All-American honors and a handful of national player of the year trophies.

It's also not unprecedented for a program to honor a player who landed it in trouble with the NCAA. Just last year, UMass inducted Marcus Camby into its hall of fame even though he caused the Minutemen to have to vacate their lone Final Four appearance as a result of money he accepted from an agent.

Terry, for his part, certainly seems interested in having his jersey hanging at McKale Center alongside other past great Arizona guards.

"Hopefully one day my jersey will be up in the rafters," Terry told the Tucson Citizen last summer. "I don't know when. It would be a tremendous honor."

Selita Ebanks Michael Michele Marisa Tomei Shannyn Sossamon Rachael Leigh Cook