NCAA's new age-based five-year eligibility rule could see lawsuits by graduated seniors to play another season
College basketball players who just finished their fourth and final year of eligibility might now be in line for another season in 2026-27 if a legal challenge being raised against a new NCAA rule is successful.
The end result could be a late infusion of chaos into college basketball's offseason player movement cycle.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve an age-based eligibility model for college sports. Under the new rules, players will be granted five years of eligibility to be completed within five years of high school graduation or an athlete's 19th birthday, whichever comes first. There would be limited exceptions for factors like religious missions, maternity leave and military service.
But the proposed rule will not apply to players who just exhausted their eligibility in 2025-26 under the old rules.
That's where prominent sports attorney Darren Heitner enters the picture. Heitner has spent weeks working alongside fellow attorney Ryan Downton in an effort to sign up basketball players to file lawsuits in a variety of states that would keep the NCAA's rule from excluding those who exhausted their eligibility in 2026 after their fourth season.
If they are successful in receiving temporary restraining orders, it could allow for dozens or even hundreds of seniors from the 2025-26 season to run it back in 2026-27.
NCAA votes to approve age-based five-year eligibility rule, reshaping college football, basketball landscapes Shehan Jeyarajah
"Our initial focus will be basketball players who just completed their 4th season and have been unfairly excluded from a 5th year of competition," Heitner wrote on X. "Once again, the NCAA has proven that it will act arbitrarily with the enforcement of its rules. We will hold them accountable."
Who could regain eligibility?
Several college basketball stars who are projected as second-round picks in the NBA Draft could theoretically benefit from a successful challenge by Heitner's group. Big-name stars like Purdue guard Braden Smith and Kentucky's Otega Oweh -- just to name a couple -- played four seasons in four years and then believed they had no choice but to be done with college basketball.
They might have been interested in playing a fifth season over going to the NBA as a potential second-round pick if they were allowed to capitalize on the new NCAA rule, which will benefit players who come after them.
Another season of playing college basketball could be more financially lucrative for someone like Smith or Oweh if the alternative is fighting to make an NBA roster as a second-round pick on a minimum contract.
College basketball's next gold rush? 10 stars who could cash in on proposed five-for-five eligibility David Cobb
Whether players who get drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night decide to join the legal effort to return to college basketball for a fifth season will be a fascinating plot to monitor.
Players who haven't taken the fifth
Notable seniors who declared for the NBA Draft who have not played five seasons of college basketball.
| Big Board ranking | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Tarris Reed Jr. | C | UConn |
| 29 | Zuby Ejiofor | C | St. John's |
| 30 | Joshua Jefferson | PF | Iowa State |
| 33 | Braden Smith | PG | Purdue |
| 34 | Richie Saunders | SG | BYU |
| 35 | Ryan Conwell | SG | Louisville |
| 39 | Otega Oweh | SG | Kentucky |
| 40 | Jaden Bradley | PG | Arizona |
| 43 | Bruce Thornton | PG | Ohio State |
| 44 | Ja'Kobi Gillespie | PG | Tennessee |
Where would these players play?
This exact scenario is why a wave of players with no eligibility remaining entered the transfer portal following the season. They wanted to position themselves to have options if a rule like this passed and did apply retroactively. The NCAA rule does not apply retroactively. But if legal challenges to change that caveat are successful, even those who didn't enter the portal could theoretically still return to college basketball to play for their former schools.
Congressional bill would codify the rule
This scenario is also another example of the benefits that would come from passing the Protect College Sports Act, which includes a five-year eligibility rule similar to the one passed by the NCAA cabinet on Tuesday. If Congress enacts a federal law surrounding this issue (among many others), it will stand up to legal challenges far better than an NCAA rule. At a time when NCAA rules have repeatedly been battered by judges, this one could wind up being no different.
Add CBS Sports on GoogleBadenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
