Freshman Jereme Richmond cleared the air Monday, saying rumors about him transferring from Illinois were false.

"I dealt with some personal issues last week that caused me to miss two practices while I was home with my family in Waukegan," Richmond said in a statement. "With the help of Coach [Bruce] Weber and my family, I have worked through this situation. I appreciate their support and the support of my teammates for getting me through a difficult time.

"Unfortunately, my absence led to some false rumors that I want to put to rest. I have been, and always will be, 100 percent committed to the Illinois basketball program. My coaches and teammates are my family, and I'm looking forward to helping our team achieve our goals. I am an Illini for life."