Olson addresses absence

? Arizona’s Lute Olson said he had his players’ interests in mind when he took a personal leave of absence last season.

“The reason that I took the leave was that I didn’t feel that I could be fair to the kids,” Olson said. “And despite what maybe some of you think, the main thing that I have, in my 50 or 51 years (in coaching), has been the concern of the kids.”

Beyond that, a combative Olson declined to discuss the reasons behind his leave during a televised 48-minute news conference at McKale Center on Tuesday.