A Colorado judge’s ruling on Friday gave a boost to a group of players from the high school class of 2022 seeking a fifth year of eligibility for the 2026-27 season, but it also created a wrinkle that could matter for Gonzaga’s pursuit of Donovan Dent.
The decision came amid a wave of lawsuits filed around the country, including in Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina and California. Soon after the injunction was granted, several players said they intended to enter the transfer portal and find new homes.
That list included Dent, the former UCLA guard and a known target for the Zags, along with former Florida guard Xaivian Lee, St. John’s guard Oziyah Sellers and others.
But Judge Sweeney issued a clarifying statement on Sunday afternoon that narrowed the reach of the ruling. Unlike the injunctions in Ohio and Tennessee, this one does not open the door for free transfers. It only clears players to transfer if they had already entered the portal when it was open in April.
“Judge Sweeney has issued an order clarifying the scope of the injunction issued Friday night.In doing so, she clarified that her injunction ONLY grants athletes in the class a fifth year. It does not enjoin transfer rules, roster caps, rev share caps, etc. https://t.co/ohDiBAKrE5 pic.twitter.com/KZUL5KDCbQ”
That distinction matters because some players who are now eligible - including former UCLA guard Skyy Clark and former Saint Mary’s, UConn and UC Santa Barbara guard Aidan Mahaney - had already put their names in the portal back in April in anticipation of a possible extra year. Those players can now sign with any school, as long as that program has room on its roster.
Dent is in a different spot. Because he did not enter the portal, the Colorado ruling means he can only return to UCLA and cannot suit up for another program.
The practical effect is that fewer of these fifth-year players will be able to play elsewhere this season, even as the ruling may make it harder for the NCAA to prevail on appeal.
In Ohio and Tennessee, plaintiffs not only won a fifth year of eligibility, but also got permission to enter the transfer portal without NCAA punishment. That created a broader path for movement than the Colorado ruling does.
So the picture now is split: one group of fifth-year seniors can transfer wherever they want, and another group is locked in.
The California case that includes Dent, Clark, Mahaney, Jordan Pope and former Zag women’s basketball player Ines Bettencourt is still active, and it would not be a surprise if it leads to an injunction similar to the ones in Ohio and Tennessee.
If that happens, Dent would be free to move, and Gonzaga would remain a top landing spot for the elite passing point guard.
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