On Tuesday, Florida announced that Denzel Aberdeen had returned to the men's program, two years after helping the Gators win a national championship and a year after briefly leaving to play at Kentucky. Aberdeen had been in limbo, as so many others in the high school class of 2022 seeking a fifth year of college basketball, until a Florida judge cleared him to play. The team account tweeted one word: "Cleared."
But that's not exactly true -- for Aberdeen or anyone in his situation. As coaches, local judges, players and their supporters make grand announcements about being cleared to play, the NCAA is quietly winning a game of whack-a-mole and reversing those rulings for fifth-year candidates around the country.
Athletes have been winning initial rulings -- most recently, state cases in New York (Melvin Council Jr.), Florida (Aberdeen), as well as a federal lawsuit in West Virginia (Brenen Lorient and Javan Buchanan) -- yet, for the most part, the NCAA has been granted stays as it appeals each (cases in Ohio and Tennessee are two such examples). This is leading to players moving their lawsuits to other jurisdictions.
The focus, however, remains on the federal class action lawsuit in Colorado (Brock Wisne), which is moving through the appeals process.
Can you hear the clock ticking? A month before the 2026-27 college basketball season is set to begin (Nov. 2), and some of the best teams in America don't know whom they'll have on their rosters. Nothing is final, which makes the weeks ahead one of the most compelling storylines in sports. For some, the final episode might feature a celebration. For others -- and maybe every fifth-year athlete in the country -- their dreams could end.
A sport decided by buzzer-beaters and clutch shots might be in for more drama than anyone could have imagined. Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello bring you up to speed on the current situation as we enter the final month of the 2026-27 preseason.
Oct. 2 updates
The Big Ten released a rule targeting eligibility in college basketball this week. Who does this affect immediately?
Borzello: There is no tangible impact on any Big Ten roster for the upcoming season. Though there are players in eligibility limbo due to various five-for-five lawsuits, none previously signed an NBA or G-League contract. Indiana's Sam Alexis, Michigan's Roddy Gayle Jr. and Kenny Noland, Minnesota's Cade Tyson, Oregon's Malique Ewin and Penn State's Josh Reed are all pursuing an additional year of eligibility, but none has been impacted by the Big Ten's new rule.
Received further clarification on what the Big Ten's new rule could potentially mean for guys who played in the NBA Summer League.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) September 28, 2026
They're classifying an NBA contract as an "Exhibit 10, a Two-Way Contract, or any agreement providing compensation above expenses and a per diem." https://t.co/Pk69YXY9NL
Could other conferences follow suit?
Borzello: Nearly all of the major conferences had already taken steps to extend the NFL bans in August to men's and women's college basketball. The ACC, Big 12 and SEC previously announced its members were not permitted to have players who had signed a contract with a team in the NFL, NBA, G-League or WNBA, were listed on a roster in one of those leagues or had declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA draft and didn't withdraw.
The Big East is the lone high-major conference not to decide on enacting a rule banning former pros from returning to college.
The federal suit in Colorado seems to be the biggest battleground. What's going on there?
Borzello: The Wisne federal class action lawsuit is undoubtedly the most important eligibility case on the docket, given its wide-ranging implications.
To recap: On July 31, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction to all student-athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and finished their fourth season of college eligibility this past spring. A flood of commitments from prospective fifth-year seniors followed. On Aug. 21, however, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA's request for a stay, pausing the injunction.
The appeals court has since scheduled a hearing for Oct. 13, when oral arguments are expected to be heard.
Medcalf: Per a source involved in the case on behalf of the athletes, the move to hear the oral arguments in October is viewed as a "positive" development, but not conclusive. There are still no guarantees that this case will be over before the season begins.
Though the Colorado case is separate from the state rulings in these cases, there remains the possibility that this case is once again the most important development in collegiate sports if players in the 2022 class are granted a federal waiver.
So, how many eligibility battles is the NCAA currently fighting?
Borzello: A lot. Hundreds of players are involved in eligibility battles against the NCAA, and they all fall into different buckets. The most prevalent are the aforementioned players who graduated high school in 2022 and are fighting the governing body in dozens of state and federal lawsuits across the country.
Incoming international prospects are also facing stricter regulations on eligibility regarding "actual and necessary" expenses, although we're beginning to see a few get through the clearinghouse (Arkansas' Miikka Muurinen was cleared last week).
Then, there are the remaining handful of former NBA draftees or G-League pros hoping to either return to college basketball, or play college basketball for the first time. RJ Luis (LSU), Babacar Sane (St. John's) and Dink Pate (Providence) all fall into that category, although the latter two have very different arguments than Luis, who declared for the 2025 NBA draft and then signed two NBA contracts.
There are standalone cases that don't fall neatly into any of the aforementioned buckets, either, such as that of former Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn's (more on that below).
We've also recently seen some players concede the fight against the NCAA and opt for other professional routes. Former Texas A&M signee Bryson Warren, who played in the G League, signed an Exhibit 10 with the Detroit Pistons last week before being waived, amid the expectation that he will join the Pistons' G League affiliate for the upcoming season. LSU commit Marcio Santos was in the process of trying to be cleared by the NCAA but decided Tuesday to sign a two-year contract in Spain and head back to the EuroLeague.
Speaking of LSU, what's the status of their roster?
Borzello: The Tigers' official men's basketball roster still has only four players listed: Kansas State transfer Abdi Bashir Jr., Kentucky transfer Mouhamed Dioubate, UTSA transfer Austin Nunez and Michigan State transfer Divine Ugochukwu. LSU also received a commitment in May from high schooler Jordan Bender, although he has yet to be announced.
Everyone else is in limbo. RJ Luis was granted a temporary injunction to play, but could still face an uphill battle to gain clearance, particularly given what happened the last time the Tigers tried to add former pros to a roster: a contentious fight with the SEC despite a state court order, followed by the college football program declining to add them after all. UCLA transfers Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark are eligible via a five-for-five injunction in California, although the NCAA is still fighting the order.
Then, there are international arrivals Saliou Niang, Michael Ruzic, Brice Dessert and Gilad Levy, who are still awaiting eligibility decisions. And, as mentioned earlier, Marcio Santos signed a pro contract in Spain instead of continuing to wait for clearance to play in Baton Rouge.
Trey Kaufman-Renn was mentioned earlier as a separate bucket. How is his eligibility situation different?
Borzello: Kaufman-Renn is the first player to pursue a sixth year of eligibility, with his argument centered on the fact that he redshirted his freshman season in 2021-22. Essentially, he said he would not have used his redshirt season under the NCAA's new five-for-five age-based eligibility model and, as a result, have played only four seasons instead of five. Drafted 59th by the Minnesota Timberwolves in June, Kaufman-Renn played five Summer League games, though he never signed a contract with the team.
Instead, he filed a motion in late August, seeking a temporary restraining order against the NCAA to return to college, and was granted the TRO in early September. He entered the transfer portal the next day, but has yet to announce his next move.
The Protect College Sports Act cleared another hurdle this week. How might it affect these eligibility questions?
Borzello: The PCSA passed in the Senate Monday night 77-22. It's a huge step toward sweeping college sports legislation, but still has a long way to go before becoming law. Ultimately, it has no impact on the current eligibility battles.
After passing through the Senate, it next moves to the House of Representatives -- though representatives went home Sept. 16, and aren't expected to return to Washington until after Election Day (Nov. 3), and won't begin the next legislative session until Nov. 9. If that schedule remains, the PCSA will have less than two months of a lame-duck session to get through the House, where opposition to the bill is expected.
Aug. 28 updates
What do the SEC's new rules mean for teams?
They could pit players -- and their schools -- against the league.
Per the new rules, approved unanimously by the schools, the following players are not eligible to compete in college basketball:
Any player who has signed a contract with an NBA team or a G League team
Any player who previously declared for the NBA draft without "appropriately" withdrawing -- players must withdraw from the draft by a May deadline to preserve their college eligibility
Any player who has been listed on an NBA or G League roster.
It is also important to understand the multiple contracts in the NBA that could affect eligibility. An Exhibit 10 contract is essentially a "training camp" deal that allows a player to compete with a team with limited hopes of making the final roster. A two-way contract is a deal that can be converted into a standard deal. Two-way players can spend time in the NBA and G League.
The SEC might have to more specifically define a professional contract. Does a player who gets a 10-day deal or a player who competes on a Summer League team also automatically lose eligibility?
The new rule could also be called "The RJ Luis Jr. Rule." Despite being cleared to play for LSU this season by a Louisiana judge, Luis -- the 2025 Big East Player of the Year -- signed multiple two-way contracts after going undrafted in 2025, though never appeared in a regular-season game.
Kentucky commit Mark Mitchell, who played at Missouri last season, never signed an Exhibit 10 after going undrafted in June, per a source -- meaning he should be eligible to play this year. But for whom? The SEC is scrutinizing Mitchell's choice to play for Kentucky, due to him transferring to another league school outside the official portal window, a move that is against the rules. The lawyer in the Kentucky court case that initially cleared Mitchell amended the complaint Friday to challenge the SEC.
In general, the SEC is drawing a line in the sand on any players who've been professional athletes, even if the courts say otherwise. The standoff will likely lead to additional courtroom battles.
So, what's the deal with LSU?
Good question. There are currently four players officially listed on the roster on the team website. Will Wade's ability to put together a team for 2026-27 depends on the outcome of the current battle royale between players and their schools, the conferences and the NCAA.
The first, and most important fight, will involve Luis, who had won an injunction at the beginning of the week but is now in violation of nearly every tenet of the new SEC rules. The former St. John's star's attorney, Tony Clayton, told a Louisiana radio station Thursday that he has already filed an amended complaint to include the SEC and Sankey.
Former UCLA standouts Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent were cleared in a California court case to join LSU, though the NCAA has vowed to fight the state decisions. Dent is the best-available fifth-year point guard, and many teams tried to sign him. Clark would also be a solid backcourt addition in Baton Rouge.
It's not just the American players on the Tigers' roster, however, who are under scrutiny. Saliou Niang (the 58th pick in the 2025 NBA draft) and Brice Dessert (undrafted in 2025) seem to be ineligible under the new SEC rules, even though both players stayed in Europe and did not ultimately sign with NBA teams.
What about international players?
International players have faced more scrutiny in recent years, with multiple teams signing players with professional experience in Europe. The NCAA has cleared those players in the past -- it even cleared James Nnaji, who had professional experience in Europe and was selected in the 2023 NBA draft, then signed with Baylor last season.
The Big 12 created language that should clear its international talent, though the SEC's rules seemingly put some of those players in its league in a difficult spot -- specifically those who entered the NBA draft after playing overseas. International players are automatically entered in the draft when they turn 22 years old, unless they request early entry. It's a different process from what American players, or players coming from NCAA basketball, experience.
As a result, the college careers of the international players with professional and contractual ties to the NBA in the SEC could be in jeopardy.
Aug. 22 updates
How did we get here?
Eligibility isn't a new issue in college sports, with players taking the NCAA to court for years in an effort to play more seasons, including this past campaign with Charles Bediako.
In order to create some structure, the governing body announced in June a five-year eligibility window 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 would eliminate the redshirts and most of the waivers that have been granted to players in the past.
Many lawsuits are a result of the NCAA's decision to exclude high school graduates in the 2022 class from eligibility for a fifth year under the rule.
There's also the issue of whether players granted another season could switch schools outside of their sport's respective transfer window (April for college basketball). Some lawsuits address this; 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 helped lead Florida to the 2025 national title before transferring to Kentucky for his fourth season of college basketball. Coach Todd Golden has said the Gators would back Aberdeen in a state lawsuit for a fifth year.
Former North Carolina guard Seth Trimble recently announced his commitment to Louisville under the waiver. 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 already features additions such as Flory Bidunga, but Trimble could give the Cardinals the edge in the race to the Final Four, provided he regains eligibility.
Donovan Atwell is 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 one of the 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.
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 due to a Texas lawsuit.
A wild card is Miami's Malik Reneau, who averaged nearly 19 points per game last season 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 appeals processes, so expect more decisions to come.
"I think the NCAA is trapped," said 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, said 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, has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit challenging the restrictions of the portal. Lawsuits about roster cap numbers and other eligibility-related issues might follow.
Whether the NCAA wins its appeal in the Colorado federal case or not, a flurry of state cases will persist.
