Mills steps away from team

University of Houston sophomore Caleb Mills is stepping away from the program for personal reasons, coach Kelvin Sampson announced Sunday.

In a statement, Sampson said Mills, his family and the coaching staff agree that the 6-3 guard “needs time to refresh and prepare for the remainder of the season.” No timetable was given for Mills’ return. Sampson was uncertain of Mills’ future with the program when asked after Sunday’s 74-60 win at SMU.

Mills, the AAC’s preseason player of the year, is averaging 9.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in four games. He has missed time with an ankle injury and was part of a teamwide 10-day pause in mid-December because of COVID-19 protocols.

In his first season in 2019-20, Mills averaged 13.2 points becoming just the second freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring.