May 07--Illinois announced Friday it has reinstated junior forward Leron Black to its basketball team but will suspend him from playing in the two exhibition games and the first four regular-season games of the 2016-17 season.
Black pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor aggravated assault charge and was sentenced to a year probation last month after admitting to threatening a nightclub bouncer with a knife in February.
Coach John Groce said in a university-issued statement that Black used "extremely poor judgment."
"The expectation moving forward is that he makes championship choices daily," Groce said.
Black said in a statement: "I regret my actions and am sorry to those I have hurt. I knew right away that I had made a serious mistake and I apologize to my family for the disruption and embarrassment this has cost them, and for the negative light that has been cast upon our basketball program."
Teammates Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate remain suspended after each pleaded not guilty to domestic assault charges in separate arrests in March.
sryan@tribpub.com
