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Lute Olson blamed confusion over his season-long leave of absence on an initial statement from his now-estranged wife's public relations firm.

The Arizona Wildcats' basketball coach, who changed the stated reason for his leave from "not a health scare" to a "medical condition," said Sunday night that he was not initially comfortable saying it was medically related because of the speculation that would generate.

At the same time, he said, the Phoenix-based firm Gordon C. James Public Relations drafted a release denying the "health scare" and it was issued Nov. 4, when Olson first left the team.

"We met for two hours (the day before), to make sure it was put in such a way that it was best for all concerned," Olson said. "With that individual statement, I was going to say health-related but not life-threatening."

A telephone call to James' Phoenix office was not returned Sunday night.

Olson declined to detail any more reasons for his leave of absence, other than citing stress and anxiety that affected his ability to do the job. He said in an ESPN.com interview that the stress and anxiety was divorce-related but said Sunday that wasn't the case.

"It was family-related but it definitely was not just the divorce," Olson said. "It was a temporary thing. But it was enough of a problem that I couldn't have been (in my job). It wouldn't have been fair for the kids in the program to coach under those circumstances."

Olson, 73, filed for divorce from Christine Olson on Dec. 6, the same day he announced his Nov. 4 leave of absence would be extended for the rest of the season.

Christine Olson declined to say what she believed caused Olson's medical condition.

"All I can say is I'm still madly in love with him and I would try to help if I could," she said in a telephone interview Sunday from the former couple's home, where Lute Olson no longer lives.

Olson announced on March 10 that he would return for next season, acknowledging a "medical condition." The announcement came just two days before the Wildcats began Pac-10 tournament play, but Olson said he had to issue it in order to quell continuing speculation as the Wildcats neared the postseason.

"There were so many rumors flying around and it was disruptive to the players," Olson said. The media "needed to get the true story instead of speculating on things."

UA officials scheduled Olson for a Tuesday news conference that is expected to raise questions about his leave of absence. However, AD Jim Livengood said he was not concerned that Olson has begun to issue some information about his condition in advance of the news conference. Livengood said "I'd drive myself nuts" by worrying about every comment a staff member made publicly.