Texas Tech men’s basketball faces a significant roster complication as UCF forward Jamichael Stillwell is now ineligible to compete. The change follows a ruling by a Georgia appeals court that granted the NCAA a stay on preliminary injunctions previously issued in that state.
Stillwell, a top recruit for head coach Grant McCasland, had announced his intention to play a fifth year of college eligibility. He was among several high-profile athletes who sought extra time under revised NCAA guidelines allowing competitors five years to participate at the collegiate level.
Players from the 2022 recruiting class argued they deserved this additional season, which would have been available had they entered college one year later.
The NCAA contested these interpretations and successfully challenged the legal protections that had allowed Stillwell and others to play. The recent court decision in Georgia reversed the earlier injunctions that had covered athletes within that state, effectively removing their eligibility status.
Jon Rothstein reported on social media that the stay impacts several key players, including RJ Godfrey of Arizona, Chauncey Wiggins of Gonzaga, Dillon Hunter of Clemson, and Dan Skillings of Grand Canyon. Stillwell is now in the same position as Texas Tech teammate Donovan Atwell, who was halted from playing due to a separate stay granted in Colorado.
