Gonzaga’s bid to get Chauncey Wiggins on the floor has moved to Spokane County.
The Bulldogs forward officially filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Thursday, making his third push to secure eligibility for the 2026-27 season. Wiggins first appeared in the Godfrey vs. NCAA case in Georgia, where a temporary restraining order was granted before the Georgia Court of Appeals approved the NCAA’s stay request and left him ineligible.
After that, Wiggins and 15 others pulled out of the Georgia case and tried again in Waco, Texas, seeking a TRO there. Judge Ryan Luna denied that request, and with the 2026-27 season beginning Monday, they were still unable to play.
A local filing had been expected, and Wiggins is now following the path many around the sport anticipated. Arizona’s RJ Godfrey and New Mexico State’s Stephon Payne are among the others in the same situation.
Wiggins is asking for immediate eligibility through a court order, a move that would let him suit up for Gonzaga right away and would also shield the school from NCAA punishment if the injunction is later reversed.
His legal team pointed to more than 50 court rulings around the country that have gone in student-athletes’ favor, including cases involving Gonzaga players Xaivian Lee and Javon Bennett.
How quickly Spokane County acts is unclear, though similar cases nationwide have often been decided within days.
For Gonzaga, the timing matters. The offseason of uncertainty ended with 14 of 15 players eligible after the NCAA cleared French guard Nathan de Sousa and Spanish big man Izan Almansa, while court orders in California and Ohio got Lee and Bennett approved. Wiggins is still the lone player left waiting.
If he gets through, Gonzaga would add a major offensive piece on the perimeter. The 6-foot-10 big man spent three seasons at Clemson and last year at Florida State, where he averaged 13.3 points and hit 38.7% of his threes on 5.8 attempts per game. At that size, with that kind of shooting, he was one of the most productive three-point threats in the country, and his presence would stretch the floor for Gonzaga’s frontcourt while opening driving lanes for Lee, Davis Fogle and Isiah Harwell.
“The NCAA screwed up this deal. They did.
We told them that this isn’t the right time,” coach Few said after the Purdue game. “We’ve been blessed to have X [Lee] playing.
Javon came in and made two huge free throws, and then when we get Chauncey, look out because he’s a heck of a player and he’ll really help us too.”
Gonzaga’s home opener is Saturday, Nov. 7 against New Mexico State at 2:00 PM PT. The game will air locally on KHQ and stream on ESPN Unlimited.
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