Wild West for Transfers in Court Ruling Allowing Transfer Eligibility

Courts could make players be able to play immediately with multiple transfers

Author:
Jacob Davis
Publish date:
Dec 13, 2023 3:06 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A West Virginia U.S. District Court judge issued a new ruling for college athletes seeking extra transfer opportunities has been accepted. That means a temporary restraining order the next 14 days is in place to block the NCAA from declining immediate eligibility to any college athletes currently seeking it via a multi-transfer waiver, per Justin Williams of the Athletic.

The ruling allows players currently sitting as multi-year transfers to be immediately eligible. While no players in the big three sports at Arkansas qualify, it could play a role for other SEC schools like Ole Miss, whose star guard Brandon Murray is sitting out after transferring from LSU to Georgetown, then to the Rebels in a matter of three seasons. Murray averaged 12 points per game the past two seasons as a former consensus Top 100 in the 2021 class.

Arkansas star guard JD Notae, who transferred to Arkansas from Jacksonville in 2018, gained a lot by sitting out a year. However, the Razorbacks and Eric Musselman really could have used Notae’s offensive game after Isaiah Joe went down with injury. The Hogs has to wait an extra season before they saw the Musselman and Notae duo put the basketball team back on the college basketball map.

The interesting part of this 14-day order is how will it impact the current college football transfer portal. With many players feeling stuck in their spot, the ruling could allow former transfers an opportunity to search elsewhere for playing time or better situations.