Utah’s Deivon Smith and BYU’s Marcus Adams Jr. now eligible to play for remainder of season
Utah guard Deivon Smith and BYU forward Marcus Adams Jr. — as well as other multiple-time transfers throughout the country — can play immediately and through the remainder of the season, thanks to the latest news in a whirlwind 36 hours.
On Friday, the NCAA confirmed that a temporary restraining order in a case involving the NCAA waiver process has been converted to an injunction that is in place through the end of the 2023-24 academic year, as Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported.
“This action provides clarity for student-athletes and member schools for the remainder of the academic year — any multiple-time transfer student-athlete who competes this season will be subject to the same eligibility and use of a season of competition rules as all other student-athletes,” the NCAA said, in part, in a statement.
NCAA confirms that an injunction is in now place thru the end of the academic year, granting immediate eligibility to multi-time transfers for winter & spring sports. If an athlete plays, it does count as a season burned.
Background on the issue here - https://t.co/SBLi1KY8By pic.twitter.com/XvWZDLuua8— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 15, 2023
That means Smith and Adams will be able to play the remainder of the season.
Smith, a two-time transfer, had previously had his transfer waiver denied and was in the appeals process, while the freshman Adams was waiting for news on his transfer waiver.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey in northern West Virginia issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing its transfer rule. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by seven states, among them West Virginia, alleging the NCAA’s waiver process violates federal antitrust law.
That day, NCAA said in a statement it would comply with the order and notify schools, according to The Associated Press, which would allow two-time transfers working through the waiver process, like Smith, to play immediately.
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A preliminary injunction hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Dec. 27. On Thursday, the NCAA released a Q&A statement that clarified the redshirt eligibility rule still applies in this scenario, meaning if any impacted player were to play over the next two weeks and the ruling is reversed, those games would count toward their eligibility.
Friday’s news, though, alleviates those worries and allows student-athletes impacted by the decision the ability to play immediately and through the remainder of the year, no matter their waiver status as the lawsuit works its way toward a decision.
Smith previously played two seasons at Georgia Tech and his freshman year at Mississippi State. He transferred to Utah in May after the Yellow Jackets went through a coaching change.
Smith averaged 8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 24.8 minutes per game last season for Georgia Tech and is expected to bring speed and athleticism to the Utes’ backcourt.
Adams, meanwhile, is a true freshman who originally enrolled at Kansas before transferring to Gonzaga, then BYU in the span of less than a year.
Adams has been dealing with a foot injury, but BYU coach Mark Pope acknowledged Wednesday that Adams “was in full shootaround today for the first time” all season ahead of the Cougars’ win over Denver.
Utah next hosts Utah Valley at 2 p.m. MST at the Huntsman Center, while BYU hosts Georgia State on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Marriott Center.
