Court Makes Ruling on Trey Kaufman-Renn's Temporary Restraining Order Against NCAA

Former Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has been granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. A judge in the Clark County Circuit Court granted the ex-Boilermaker the TRO, which will allow him to pursue a sixth year of eligibility at the college level, according to a report from Nathan Baird of The Indianapolis Star.

Judge Kyle P. Williams granted Kaufman-Renn the temporary restraining order after hearing testimony on Wednesday. At this time, there is no date for a preliminary injunction hearing.

Kaufman-Renn was selected in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was taken No. 59 overall. Despite achieving that dream, the forward said he can make "significantly more" money by returning to college.

In an interview on Wednesday after his hearing, Kaufman-Renn told reporters that "six or seven" different schools reached out to him. He said he's talked with people at Purdue, though there weren't any major conversations about returning to West Lafayette.

Kaufman-Renn did not name any teams specifically when talking about those that had reached out.

The former Purdue forward is trying to take advantage of the NCAA's new five-for-five ruling, which allows student-athletes to play five seasons in five years. Although Kaufman-Renn was at Purdue for five seasons, he used one year to redshirt. He argues that, if the rule were in place at the time, he would not have had to sit out as a true freshman.

Last season, Kaufman-Renn averaged 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He helped guide the Boilermakers to a 30-9 record, a Big Ten Tournament title and a trip to the Elite Eight.

What does the ruling mean?

Mar 7, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) looks into the crowd. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For now, the judge granting Kaufman-Renn a temporary restraining order against the NCAA means he can pursue his options at the college level. It is a significant development, as former players who spent five years playing NCAA sports will likely follow a similar path.

Not only did Kaufman-Renn get five years at Purdue, he was selected in the 2026 NBA Draft. He played in the NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves, though he had not signed a contract at the time he filed a lawsuit.

Considering recent comments by Kaufman-Renn and Purdue head coach Matt Painter, it seems unlikely that the former All-American forward would return to West Lafayette.

"I've talked to them," Kaufman-Renn said on Tuesday. "There hasn't been any giant conversation around that specifically."

Purdue currently has 16 players on its roster, though three have a "designated student-athlete" label. Those three players don't count against the team's 15-man roster limit. The Boilers are currently in their own battle with the NCAA, hoping to get 6-foot-9 forward Enzo Shahrvin cleared for one season of eligibility before the 2026-27 campaign begins.

In an interview with Jon Rothstein in August, Painter spoke on the possibility of former players returning to this year's team, specifically Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith.

"I don't think Trey would apply for this because he redshirted and then he had four years, even though everything can be battled these days," Painter said during the Inside College Basketball Now podcast.

"But our other two guys, there's just no way that we could take them back just because these other guys, it's their turn, right? You've given that word. ... But I wouldn't be against any of those guys, whether it was Braden Smith or Fletch[er Loyer], if they went somewhere else."

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