Texas Tech men’s basketball faces another complication in its offseason roster planning after a court decision removed UCF forward Jamichael Stillwell from eligibility. A Georgia appeals court recently granted the NCAA a stay on preliminary injunctions that had previously allowed certain athletes to compete for a fifth year, effectively blocking Stillwell from suiting up for the Red Raiders.
Stillwell was considered a top recruiting target for head coach Grant McCasland, who had announced plans for him to utilize a fifth year of eligibility. The forward had been an All-Big 12 selection at UCF before committing to Lubbock. The legal battle centered on revised NCAA guidelines that limit athletes to four years of competition within a five-year period.
Stillwell and other recruits from the 2022 class argued they deserved the extra year due to the timing of their enrollment.
The NCAA had previously lost several cases in different states, including Colorado, where an injunction allowed players like Donovan Atwell to remain eligible. However, Stillwell pursued his own legal action in Georgia rather than relying on the broader Colorado ruling.
The recent stay issued by the Georgia court reversed that progress, placing him in the same ineligible position as other high-profile recruits affected by similar litigation.
Jon Rothstein reported via Twitter that the NCAA’s victory in Georgia means several key players are currently barred from competition. Alongside Stillwell, athletes such as RJ Godfrey of Arizona, Chauncey Wiggins of Gonzaga, Dillon Hunter of Clemson, and Dan Skillings of Grand Canyon are also ineligible under the current legal landscape.
