College basketball eligibility: What to know about recent rulingsMyron MedcalfAug 22, 2026, 02:15 PM ETClose
- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato
The college basketball offseason has never been more chaotic.
Normally, at this point of the season college rosters are set and gelling. However, the issue of college eligibility has dominated headlines, as athletes from the high school class of 2022 have been suing the NCAA for the ability to play under its new “five in five” rules.
On Friday, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a victory: a stay in a previous federal order (the Wisne ruling in Colorado) that had allowed all 2022 high school graduates a blanket waiver to return for a fifth season.
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But this is far over. The stay is temporary as the NCAA appeals the original decision, and just one of the many class action and antitrust lawsuits the organization has been fighting at both the federal and state levels.
The uncertainty has kept rosters uncertain, with players, coaches, programs and conferences scrambling to understand who can and cannot have a roster spot — whether it’s for returnees or transfers.
There are just over two months left until the 2026-27 college basketball season tips. Will we have an answer by then?
Here’s what we know about the current situation.
Denzel Aberdeen is one of the many players affected by the recent decision to stay the preliminary injunction issued in the federal lawsuit in Colorado. Jaxon Kohler is among a number of players able to retain eligibility under state lawsuits. AP Photo/Frank Franklin IIHow did we get here?Eligibility isn’t a new issue in college sports, with players taking the NCAA to court for years to be able to play more seasons, including this past campaign with Charles Bediako, James Nnaji and more.
In an effort to create some structure, the governing body unveiled a five-year eligibility window in June, that would go into effect for every sport’s upcoming season. A player would have a five-year window from enrollment — beginning no later than the semester after their 19th birthday — within which to play college sports. It is a continuous clock, which should eliminate the redshirts and the majority of waivers that have been granted to players in the past.
However, the lawsuits are a result of the NCAA’s decision to exclude high school graduates in the 2022 class from eligibility.
There’s also the issue of whether players granted another season could switch schools outside of their sports’ respective transfer windows (April for college basketball). Some lawsuits address this, while others don’t.
Who is impacted most by the decision to grant the NCAA’s request for a stay?
The stay pauses the blanket waiver granted to the entire high school class of 2022, regardless of whether players are involved in a state lawsuit.
At the top of the list of players affected is Denzel Aberdeen, who had helped lead Florida to the 2025 national title before transferring to Kentucky for his fourth season of college basketball. Coach Todd Golden has stated the Gators would back Aberdeen in a state lawsuit for a fifth year.
Former North Carolina guard Seth Trimble had recently unveiled his commitment to Louisville under the waiver, as well. He played in the NBA summer league with the Washington Wizards, though he never signed a professional contract. Pat Kelsey’s team is top-10 good, and had already included additions like Flory Bidunga, but Trimble could give the Cardinals the edge in the race to the Final Four, provided he regains eligibility.
Donovan Atwell was looking to return to Texas Tech for his fifth season, after averaging 13.5 PPG and 46% from 3 this past campaign. Former Columbia guard Kenny Noland (committed to Michigan) and former Quinnipiac forward Amarri Monroe (committed to Syracuse) are also among the top names impacted.
As it currently stands, these players cannot join a college basketball roster.
So, who is currently eligible to play?
Anyone who has been cleared — at least temporarily — by numerous state lawsuits that have been filed.
Former Missouri star Mark Mitchell (18.3 PPG, 39% from 3) has entered the transfer portal after a judge in Kentucky granted him a temporary injunction.
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Jaxon Kohler, an all-Big Ten honorable mention selection at Michigan State, committed to BYU this week after a judge in California cleared him and others, including former UCLA stars Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark, former NC State guard Tre Holloman and former Florida guard Xaivian Lee.
AJ Storr, who averaged 15.5 PPG at Ole Miss last season, is currently eligible to play at UNLV as a result of a separate state case in Tennessee.
Darrion Williams, who spent two seasons at Texas Tech — including leading the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight in 2025 — before playing at NC State last season, has his eligibility per a Texas lawsuit.
A wild card is Miami’s Malik Reneau, who averaged nearly 19 points per game last year and could return to the team, pending the outcome of a state case filed in South Carolina.
What’s next in the legal battle over eligibility?
So far, the NCAA has prevailed in two small respects: The stay in the Colorado ruling appeal, and a similar decision earlier in the week in one of the first major state lawsuits regarding “five in five”, in Ohio. Both cases are moving through their respective appeal processes, so expect more decisions to come there.
“I think the NCAA is trapped,” stated one prominent NIL attorney about the flurry of lawsuits the group is currently fighting at the state and federal levels.
Another question is who can be granted a waiver. Earlier this week, a ruling in Louisiana opened the door for multiple athletes — including players currently in NFL training camps — to enter the portal and play next season. Attorney Ryan Downton, who has spearheaded a number of state lawsuits, including the one in Louisiana, stated more are on the way.
“It’s somewhat remarkable that I think it’s close to a dozen courts that have looked at this now at the trial court level,” he told ESPN. “And I think I’m only aware of one that’s sided with the NCAA.”
Former SMU women’s basketball player Kyla Deck, who was initially granted eligibility due to the blanket waiver in the Wisne ruling, had filed a federal antitrust lawsuit challenging the restrictions of the portal. Lawsuits about roster cap numbers and other eligibility-related issues may follow.
Whether the NCAA wins its appeal in the Colorado federal case or not, a flurry of state cases will persist.
