James Keefe on his decision

How did you come to the conclusion to end your UCLA career?"I met with a doctor after the USC game, and he said within the week if I'm not showing any signs of improvement then it won't be really better until the season is over. It's been a week tomorrow and it's showing no signs of improvement. It's still really restricted, the external rotation is off. I figure if I have to get it, I might as well get it as soon as possible to start rehabbing."

Is it a pain issue or a movement issue?
"It's both. I'm really restricted with anything up here (raising his arm), I just can't move it that way. There's lots of shifting going on, it gets stuck sometimes in the same position and it's really painful."

Any long-term prognosis?"The MRI was really cloudy, I couldn't really see much, but the doctor said every time it keeps popping out, it's not good for it. It could make permanent damage to the joint. Getting it taken care of is the best."

How difficult of a decision was it?
"It was emotional - I definitely wanted to play out the end of my senior year. It was kind of day by day. I still want to play, I don't want to give up on this year. But after the fifth day, and it still feels exactly the same way as the first day, and you only have a few weeks of the regular season, you start counting when is waiting to long."

How is this related to the first surgery?"The first surgery was successful - I played two years with no problems whatsoever. But the beginning of this year, when I dislocated it the first time scrimaging with the guys, that kind of started it. It loosened up all the joints, maybe tore something. Ever since then it's been kind of loose. I've been rehabbing every day, but you get hit a certain way, get your shoulder in a certain position, it's vulnerable."

How did the injury occur?"I was just posting up with my hands up, ball went, went to go for it, Reeves was defending me, just got tangled up and found myself in a bad position. It didn't take much to pop it out. It was a clean play but a bad decision to put myself in."

If this team was 20-4, does it change your mind?"If we were going to the Final Four...I mean, this is my final four games! These games are games I really want to play, if only from the standpoint that it's my senior season. I didn't think the Cal game would be my last UCLA game. It's not a matter of how important these games are, to me these are very important games. It's how I end my career here. But it's not working. Even if this was a Final Four game, I couldn't be out there with one hand."

Do you hope to keep playing?"I'm hoping the surgery is very successful and I definitely want to keep playing as long as I can. Anywhere I can, at this point. That also was a part of the decision. I need to take care of my body."