RJ Godfrey is still waiting on the final word, but the Clemson transfer sounds like a player who has already made up his mind.
A month from now, Arizona is set to open its three-game exhibition schedule for the 2026-27 season, and Godfrey expects to be in the building. Whether he’ll actually be allowed to take the floor is another matter.
“In my heart, I know that I’ll be in a Wildcat uniform this season,” Godfrey said Tuesday. “I’m confident in that.”
Godfrey is among the college players caught in the NCAA’s eligibility fight, one of dozens mostly in men’s basketball trying to secure an extra year. The dispute stems from the NCAA’s new “5 for 5” policy, which did not grandfather in players from the 2022 high school class and instead treated their eligibility as used up after four seasons under the old rules.
That decision has triggered lawsuits around the country, including one in Georgia in which Godfrey was a plaintiff. He ended up signing with Arizona after a federal judge in Colorado issued blanket eligibility for all 2022 high school graduates, but that ruling has since been stayed after the NCAA appealed.
Godfrey’s own case has been part of the legal scramble, and he testified in July.
“It felt like I was in a movie,” he said, noting that his hands shook when he first took the stand. I was like, oh man, like I hope I don’t say nothing wrong.
It was very surreal. It was kind of cool, too, at the same time, and I was like, man, I hope I’m never on this podium again, defending myself.
But it was cool. It was nice little experience.
But I’m definitely glad it’s over.”
Arizona brought him into the program in early August, and at that point he was cleared only to practice. He traveled with the team to Lithuania but sat out the three exhibitions while his game eligibility remained unresolved. Instead of treating the trip as a setback, Godfrey said he found value in watching from the sideline.
“It was actually awesome to sit back and just watch what our guys can do,” he said. “I think it was more of a team bonding trip for us.
We learned a lot about each other, about our team, and the history of Lithuania, and that’s something that I valued. And also, it challenged me to use my voice more.”
If he does get the green light, Arizona appears ready to use him in a major role. Godfrey is projected to start in the frontcourt next to center Motiejus Krivas and fill the spot Tobe Awaka handled last season.
The son of former NFL linebacker Randall Godfrey brings plenty of experience with him. He has played 137 college games between Clemson and Georgia, started 66 of them, and last season averaged 12 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent.
When asked to describe his game, Godfrey pointed first to his physical approach.
“I think the first thing that pops out is physicality on both ends,” Godfrey said. “I kind of learned how to use my body, especially last year, knowing how to guard without fouling and rebound hard without fouling.
I think I’m a pretty good inside presence. I’m pretty efficient at the rim.”
He also arrives with a little history against Arizona. Godfrey was on Clemson’s 2023-24 team that reached the Elite Eight for the first time in school history, and that run included an upset of Arizona in the West Region semifinals. In that game, Godfrey scored seven points in 11 minutes off the bench.
“Me and Mo actually went at it a couple times,” he said.
For now, the legal process continues to move in the background while Arizona waits to see if Godfrey can actually suit up. If he doesn’t get the extra season, he’s already thinking about another way to stay with the program.
“Just being brutally honest, yeah, I have thought about that,” he said. “And I was like, man, if there’s a possibility I can’t play, I would love to be a GA for a year here, do something with the team. Being already here for a month, I’ve already had a pretty strong bond with the guys, and this is a story I would love to be a part of, no matter what.”
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