A Nashville chancellor and a Colorado federal judge handed down rulings on Friday that grant 30 Division I men’s basketball players an additional year of eligibility, effectively allowing them to remain in college for a fifth season.
Court Orders Open Transfer Portal
The orders, issued by Davidson County Chancellor I’Ashea Myles and U.S. District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney, also open the transfer portal from noon Monday until 8 a.m. on August 10, a window that will apply to the class of 2022 high school graduates who have filed similar challenges.
Jalen Washington, the lead plaintiff who last played for Vanderbilt, filed the complaint on July 6, and the injunction he secured bars the NCAA from enforcing its restitution rule against the athletes and their schools this season.
NCAA President Charlie Baker condemned the decisions as chaotic, warning that they create a patchwork of eligibility standards and urging Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act to restore uniformity.
The rulings come as the NCAA had just approved a new eligibility framework on June 23 that would permit five seasons of competition within a five‑year span, but the court actions have effectively sidestepped that policy for the upcoming academic year.
Among the athletes named in the Colorado case is former Minnesota standout Cade Tyson, and the injunction extends to a broader cohort of student‑athletes who have sought relief from restrictive transfer rules.