Cal Basketball: Will NCAA Approve Transfer Waiver Allowing Jarred Hyder to Play?

The NCAA's Board of Directors is recommending against the one-time waiver

Photo by Kyle Terada, USA Today

Point guard Jarred Hyder will arrive at Cal next fall as a transfer with three years of eligibility remaining.

Cal’s hope was that Hyder could begin playing immediately after spending his freshman season at Fresno State.

But a statement from the NCAA Division I Board of Directors this week leaves that in doubt.

NCAA transfer rules for years have required Division I athletes in football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and ice hockey to sit out one year before playing at their new school.

But given the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA is considering a one-time waiver of that transfer requirement that would allow athletes to play immediately, without sitting out a year.

Hyder, if eligible, would join follow sophomore-to-be Joel Brown as the only point guards on Cal’s current roster.

Now that’s up in the air after the Board of Directors said it does not recommend potential changes to the transfer waiver process.

The NCAA’s Transfer Waiver Working Group recommended waiver guidelines change to allow the one-time waiver. But while the Board of Directors recommended lifting the moratorium on transfer legislation, it disagreed on changing the waiver process.

Because there is no moratorium on transfer legislation, the NCAA’s Division I Council still can vote on the waiver question at its May 20 meeting. If the Council does approve the transfer waiver, it’s still not clear whether that would go into effect in time for the 2020-21 school year.

Hyder is one of two transfer guards who signed with the Bears late last month. Penn shooting guard Ryan Betley will arrive as a graduate transfer, meaning is automatically eligible to play right away.

Hyder averaged 9.1 points and 3.1 assists for Fresno State last season as a starter much of the season. He chose Cal over Saint Mary’s, Washington State, BYU and Missouri.

Brown is the Bears’ only other point guard. A native of Canada, Brown started 17 games and averaged 2.4 points while sharing the floor leader assignment with Paris Austin, who has completed his eligibility.

Cal coach Mark Fox has one remaining scholarship to give, and it will be interesting to see if he holds onto it, finds a player at another position and tries to sign a third point guard.

*** Cal coach Mark Fox talks about Joel Brown on making significant contributions after his return to the Utah game after suffering a cut.

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @JeffFaraudo

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