MIAMI, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Former Illinois guard Alex Legion will transfer to Florida International to play for Coach Isiah Thomas.
The 6-foot-5 Legion, a native of Detroit, was averaging 2.7 points per game this season in diminished playing time behind freshmen guards D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul under Illinois Coach Bruce Webber before deciding to transfer to the Sun Belt Conference school in Miami, Fox Sports reported Thursday.
"The decision to leave the University of Illinois basketball program was difficult," he said in a statement this week. "(However), leaving University of Illinois was in the best interest of my basketball development and collegiate career. I am very excited, encouraged and humbled to have the opportunity to play for and learn from Coach Isiah Thomas, an NBA great and legend."
Legion started his college career at Kentucky, where he averaged 6.7 points in 17.5 minutes per game.
He transferred to Illinois and sat out a full season before becoming eligible at the 2008-09 semester break.
