The outlook for dozens of college basketball contenders is hanging by a thread, all thanks to a wave of legal battles over player eligibility just weeks before official practices begin in late September. This isn’t your average offseason; a whole slew of fifth-year seniors have brazenly challenged the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility, and it’s changing the entire complexion of teams in real time.
The NCAA’s Eligibility Standoff Is Wild
Can you believe this drama? The NCAA adopted new age-based eligibility guidelines, dubbed “five-in-five,” back in June. But here’s the kicker: they chose *not* to grandfather in the Class of 2022 for a fifth year of eligibility. That’s a huge deal, and players aren’t just taking it lying down. We’re talking about hundreds of seniors in over double-digit court cases, all disputing this new rule. Jaxson Kohler, for example, is one of them. The NCAA has held firm, too, despite suffering numerous losses in court cases across Colorado, California, Tennessee, Georgia, and Ohio. Seriously, they’re not budging. That means the judicial system will have the final verdict, and the entire outlook for dozens of contenders will hinge on it. It’s an unprecedented situation for college hoops, making this offseason feel like it may never end.
Transfer Portal Chaos: Players on the Move (Maybe!)
Amidst all this legal back-and-forth, players are still making moves in the transfer portal, even if their eligibility is a question mark. Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler just committed to BYU, filling coach Kevin Young’s biggest hole on the roster at the final hour. This guy is no joke: he averaged 12.6 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 39% from three-point range for a Michigan State club that earned a No. 3 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Get this, he even signed an Exhibit 10 contract and suited up for the Utah Jazz’s summer league team, but he has a pathway back to college basketball after winning a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Former UCLA guard Donovan Dent committed to LSU just days after Kohler’s news. He’s another player who may or may not be eligible for the 2026-27 season, heading to play for first-year coach Will Wade. If Dent is cleared, he’ll join his former UCLA teammate, Skyy Clark, in Baton Rouge. LSU’s recruiting strategy this offseason is wild: they’re just grabbing as many players as possible who might not be eligible. That’s a bold strategy that will either be pure genius or completely backfire.
Right now, the Big 12 is shaping up as a major winner. A handful of court victories have cleared the way for fifth-year seniors to return to college ball. Texas Tech, Cincinnati, BYU, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Arizona, and Houston have all landed legitimate starters or rotation players from this fifth-year market. Kohler is the 12th fifth-year senior to commit to a Big 12 team in just the last month. The SEC isn’t far behind, coming in second among high-majors with six fifth-year seniors committed.
With official practices just weeks away in late September, every court ruling and eligibility update is going to be massive. What happens next with these court cases? Who else is going to get cleared to play, or stay sidelined? The 2026-27 college basketball season is already shaping up to be a rollercoaster, and it hasn’t even started yet!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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