The outlook for the 2026-27 college basketball season shifted earlier this month when a judge in Colorado granted a class-wide preliminary injunction on Friday requiring the NCAA to declare athletes from the high school class of 2022 eligible. Although a handful of players across multiple states took to the actual courts to get an extra year of eligibility, the injunction in the Centennial State opened the floodgates in what could be a chaotic next several weeks before the season begins in November. The impact of the injunction — as well as cases in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, and others — has already led several big-name players to commit to play at a new school.
Perhaps the biggest name to hit the market was NC State forward Darrion Williams, who committed to play for Texas Tech for the 2026-27 campaign. Williams played two seasons at Texas Tech before transferring to NC State last offseason. Another player who has already found a new home is former North Carolina guard Seth Trimble.
The experienced, defense-minded guard will remain in the ACC after transferring to Louisville. The Cardinals already had one of the top transfer portal classes in the sport, and the addition of Trimble is just the cherry on top. Technically, these players have not been fully cleared yet, but the momentum sure seems to be shifting in their favor.
As a result, the landscape of college basketball will tangibly shift due to a widespread influx of 22-, 23- and 24-year-olds boomeranging back for one more year of college hoops. So, who else could be on the move in the coming weeks? Some of those names include Keyshawn Hall, Donovan Dent, Malik Reneau and Jaxon Kohler.
With more big names expected to be on the move and some already committed to their next and final stop, our panel is answering the question of who will be the most impactful player among those seeking to play another season of college basketball ... if/when they are fully cleared by the courts. Coaches I've talked with in recent weeks are pretty divided on whether it's good or bad to take a fifth-year player this deep in the calendar and with the season set to start in less than three months. There's really no great way to do it without reducing somebody else's role, and some coaches are conflicted about it.
Pat Kelsey isn't, though -- at least not when it came to Seth Trimble. When I talked to the Louisville coach on Wednesday and asked about his decision to add Trimble, Kelsey told me there was no hesitation. In his opinion, you'd be crazy to not add a player and person of the caliber of Trimble, if presented with the opportunity.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
