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Arizona’s Kyryl Natyazhko leaving for pro career in Europe

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Mike Miller

Good thing Arizona has a massive recruiting class arriving next season. The Wildcats keep losing players.

Hours after the school announced point guard Josiah Turner will transfer, center Kyryl Natyazhko also is leaving the school. He’ll pursue a professional career in Europe, per The Arizona Daily Star.

“I’d like to thank the fans, my teammates and the coaching staff at Arizona,” Natyazhko said. “It has been a wonderful experience for me to study and play here. I appreciate the efforts of everyone who helped me develop as a person and as a player. As hard as it is for me to leave, at this time I have to do what is best for me and my family and pursue these professional opportunities, but I plan on earning my degree in the near future.”

The junior saw his minutes dwindle each of the past three seasons to just 7.4 a game this year. He didn’t even play in 11 of Arizona’s final 15 games. With an incoming recruiting class that features two elite frontcourt players, Natyazhko’s playing time would likely more scarce.

That leaves the Wildcats with 11 scholarship players for 2012-13 (they’re limited to 12 because of NCAA sanctions), which means coach Sean Miller could conceivably add a late prospect from the junior college ranks.

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