All articles tagged with #college basketball
Kentucky’s addition of Mark Mitchell from Missouri—part of a broader transfer haul including Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno—helps lift the Wildcats to No. 12 in CBS Sports’ early Top 25 And 1 preseason rankings, with Florida perched at No. 1; the piece notes ongoing transfer-eligibility discussions and other roster moves shaping the 2026-27 outlook.
Kentucky landed Mark Mitchell, a versatile forward who previously played for Duke and Missouri, as a court ruling temporarily clears a path for a potential fifth season; his addition shores up the frontcourt and boosts coach Mark Pope's roster ahead of 2026-27, joining Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno as Kentucky pursues a deep, Final Four-caliber roster pending Mitchell's eligibility amid ongoing NCAA lawsuits over five-year eligibility.
Kentucky landed Missouri transfer Mark Mitchell, a 6'9" forward who averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season, after a court ruling granted him a fifth year of eligibility; UK plans to plug him in as the starting four next to Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno for the 2026-27 season, giving the Wildcats one of the more versatile frontcourts in college basketball.
An Alabama jury awarded former Alabama men’s basketball player Kai Spears $9.25 million in damages after finding The New York Times defamed him by reporting he was a passenger in the car involved in a fatal January 2023 shooting; the Times later published an editor’s note and correction, and it was later revealed the person in the car was a team manager, not Spears. The nine-day trial concluded with the verdict, and the Times said it disagreed with the decision and may pursue legal options.
An SB Nation piece argues that BYU, Purdue, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Illinois, Houston, Texas, St. John's, and Dayton are the ten programs most likely to win their first NCAA men’s basketball title within the next decade, citing factors like NIL funding, coaching stability, and strong program momentum—Houston stands out as an outlier with financial constraints but sustained success under Kelvin Sampson.
Missouri forward Mark Mitchell is part of an eligibility lawsuit seeking a fifth college year after exhausting his eligibility following the 2025-26 season; a Friday court hearing will decide whether the transfer portal can be opened for the named plaintiffs, with Kentucky among programs that could pursue him if eligible. Mitchell, a 6'9
UConn coach Dan Hurley criticized the NCAA’s push to extend five years of eligibility, prompted by a Colorado court injunction that could allow some last-season graduates to return for a fifth year. He argued the move cheapens the sport and creates chaotic roster-building with early-August portal activity, stressing the need for the sport’s integrity and development over quick fixes. The NCAA plans to appeal to restore the status quo as the 2026-27 year approaches, amid ongoing debates over NIL and federal regulation.
UConn coach Dan Hurley criticized the current college basketball landscape after a court ruling on the NCAA's five-year, age-based eligibility clock, saying the resulting chaos hurts roster-building and player development and could push programs to scoop up players from the portal in August; he urged the sport to care more about its health as lawsuits and appeals unfold.
A Colorado federal court injunction temporarily allows 2026–27 eligibility for players affected by the NCAA’s age-based model, triggering a wave of state lawsuits and programs scrambling to add fifth-year players. The piece argues the NCAA should admit the rollout was flawed and immediately permit all 2022 high school graduates to compete, to preserve fair play and prevent midseason chaos, even as the organization continues to fight the rulings in court.
BYU’s bid to add center Jaxon Kohler is off after a judge clarified that the new five-in-five rule grants an extra year of eligibility but does not automatically widen transfer rights, meaning Kohler cannot join the Cougars for a fifth year; the ruling could still allow a return by BYU graduate center Keba Keita, while Richie Saunders remains unlikely to rejoin BYU due to his NBA path and injury status, leaving BYU to pursue other, potentially unconventional center options.
A Colorado court injunction could allow 2022 seniors to play a fifth season in 2026-27, triggering a second wave of lawsuits to regain college eligibility. The NCAA plans an expedited appeal as Ohio and Tennessee have already granted some players fifth-year relief under state rulings. Notable names like Donovan Dent, Jordan Pope, Malik Reneau, Jaxon Kohler and Skyy Clark are pursuing eligibility, though roster limits and funding may limit some moves. Braden Smith is technically eligible but is not expected to return. The upheaval promises ongoing roster chaos across college basketball this offseason.
The college basketball transfer portal has reopened following the NCAA's fifth-year eligibility ruling, bringing a fresh cohort of players into consideration and prompting early rankings of the biggest names and potential moves as teams strategize around the new window.
A Colorado federal judge issued a class-wide injunction ordering the NCAA to allow 2022-era athletes who exhausted four seasons to play a fifth season, potentially triggering an August transfer portal window and major roster reshuffling as the NCAA appeals and litigation around the NCAA’s five-year eligibility framework continues.
Following Colorado's ruling and an injunction against the NCAA, On3 Basketball's Joe Tipton tracks the top college basketball players who could pursue a fifth year of eligibility, focusing on those already in the transfer portal or expected to enter and weighing a return to college basketball against other options.
Undrafted Lakers center Robbie Avila is weighing a potential fifth year of college eligibility in 2026-27 after a Colorado federal court ruled that Class of ’22 athletes can use a fifth season, with a transfer window Aug. 3-10. Avila, who played for Saint Louis and appeared in Lakers Summer League, could pursue college basketball despite his training camp contract with the Lakers.