Oklahoma men’s basketball guard B.J. Edwards is officially eligible for a fifth season, thanks to a temporary restraining order granted by Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper on Friday. This means he is cleared to hit the court for OU’s season opener against East Texas A&M, a huge win after he’d been practicing daily with the Sooners, unsure if he’d even suit up.
The NCAA’s Rule Is On The Ropes
This isn’t just about Edwards’ eligibility, though. He’s been added as a plaintiff to an existing TRO, one that already granted temporary eligibility to Sooners defensive tackle Danny Saili and first baseman Dayton Tockey back on September 3. What’s at the heart of this whole legal battle? It’s the NCAA’s new “Five-for-Five Rule.” This rule, which the organization’s governance structure voted to approve this summer, says current DI athletes get five years to compete after high school graduation. The plaintiffs, including Edwards, are arguing that the NCAA has unfairly excluded athletes from the high school graduating class of 2022 from this new rule. Edwards himself has been in limbo for a while, too. He was ineligible for a solid two months after the Tennessee Court of Appeals stayed an injunction that had been granted to him and other athletes back on August 26. Talk about a roller coaster.
OU Just Got Its Defensive Anchor Back
So, who exactly is B.J. Edwards, and what does he bring to the court? This guy is an SMU transfer who started a massive 28 games for the Mustangs last season before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. But when he was on the court, he was a force. Last season, he put up 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. Get this: he was the only player nationally who had three games with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals. That’s a stat line that screams versatility! Over his career, playing for Tennessee and SMU, he’s stacked up 110 collegiate games, 93 starts, 841 points, 440 rebounds, 370 assists, and 181 steals. Plus, he’s a two-time ACC All-Defensive Team member. Coach Porter Moser is pumped, saying, “I see a physical guard. He can put your chest on somebody and really level somebody off. An SEC athlete.” Moser even mentioned that ACC coaches “100% talked about BJ Edwards’ defensive presence in our scouting meetings.” That’s high praise, and it shows what a difference he makes on defense. He really does a little bit of everything, as Moser put it.
The Sooners tip off their season against the East Texas A&M Lions at 7 p.m. Monday at the Lloyd Noble Center. They were picked 12th in the SEC preseason poll, but getting a player of Edwards’ caliber back for game one? That’s got to inject some serious confidence into that locker room. Don’t miss it, because the fight isn’t just on the court, it’s in the courts, too.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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