NCAA suspends Arizona basketball forward RJ Godfrey for 4 games

Projected as Arizona's starting power forward next season, the Clemson transfer was cleared by UA to join the Wildcats in practice earlier this month and accompany them to Lithuania after Godfrey and other Georgia plaintiffs who were four-year veterans of college athletics were ruled able to play collegiately in 2026-27.

The plaintiffs had been asking to play another season in response to the NCAA's new "five-for-five" rule that now allows players a five-year window to play from their high school graduations, but had excluded high school class of 2022 athletes.

But despite the order, according to a court filing posted by Scarlet & Black's Austin Massey, the NCAA suspended Godfrey for four games because he signed with a pro agent and competed in the Reese's College All-Star game, which typically marks the end of a player's college eligibility.

Godfrey did not know at the time he played in the Reese's game that he would be able to play another season in college, and the court filing said he was not paid for playing in it, and that he did not receive any benefits from his agent.

"But even if he had, the court order simply mandates that we return such money, while prohibiting the NCAA from declaring him ineligible," the plaintiff's filing read. "Despite that mandate, the NCAA has declared Godfrey ineligible for four games. And did so when his team is in the middle of an international trip to Lithuania."

The filing said the NCAA issued its order after Godfrey and the Wildcats arrived in Lithuania and said Godfrey "asks the court for an immediate ruling allowing him to play" after quoting NCAA counsel saying Wednesday he had "no authority to remove the NCAA's punishment."

"In short, despite court's order, the NCAA is doing everything it can to keep these athletes from playing basketball," the filing said.