Arizona's RJ Godfrey tries to stay focused on season he still might not get to play

A transfer forward who joined Arizona last month, Godfrey played two seasons at Clemson after he left Georgia’s North Gwinnett High School. Then one season at Georgia, before he returned to Clemson for another last season.

So that’s four seasons. And the NCAA passed a “five-for-five” in June, giving all athletes five years to play college sports after their high school graduations or 19th birthday… except those who graduated four years ago and already played four seasons.

That makes for an equation that Godfrey, his attorneys and his supporters can’t quite figure out.

As of now, it means Godfrey’s eligibility for this season — and possibly the Wildcats’ entire ceiling — remains uncertain heading into the start of full preseason practices next week.

“Inside, I had a strong opinion — like everyone else got five years,” Godfrey said Tuesday during an interview session at UA’s Richard Jefferson Gym. “I kind of had the feeling that with the right people around, I knew we can have the opportunity to play again.”

So with the help of those around him, including attorneys Darren Heitner and Ryan Downton, Godfrey became one of the most high-profile players involved in the current wave of lawsuits pushing to get 2022 high school athletes a fifth season.

Godfrey said a friend in the same boat, then-Utah State guard MJ Collins, first spoke to him about getting a lawyer, though Godfrey said he wasn’t sure of the exact connection that landed them representation.

Collins was involved in an Ohio case that resulted in a preliminary injunction for 15 athletes in the high school class of 2022 to play this season, then committed to Cincinnati. Godfrey was involved in a Georgia case that received a similar injunction on Aug. 5 and committed to Arizona, after saying he and his family agreed the Wildcats would be a “perfect fit” if it worked out.

Both lawsuits were filed by Heitner and Downton, the Ohio one being the first in the wave of 2022 litigation.

Along the way, Godfrey found himself sitting in a courtroom and testifying. The NCAA even cross-examined him, with Downton’s Texas-based firm posting that the NCAA noted then that since players haven’t gotten a fifth year previously, the class of 2022 athletes should accept that they are done playing college sports and “be OK missing out on $2M of NIL money that would change the livelihood of his family.”

Godfrey said the experience felt like he was in a movie.

“The first 30 seconds, my hands were like ‘Oh man, I hope I don’t say nothing wrong,’ ” Godfrey said. “It was very surreal. It was kind of cool, too. At the same tiome, I was like ‘Man, I hope I’m never on this podium again, defending myself.’ … I’m definitely glad it’s over. Knock on wood, I hope I don’t have to go back up there and speak.”

He might not, but Godfrey’s quest is far from over.

Godfrey still faces three obstacles. For one, the Georgia Court of Appeals granted a stay request to the NCAA on Sept. 9 that effectively overrules the temporary injunction for now. Also, the proposed federal Protect College Sports Act could override any state-level lawsuits if passed.

Finally, UA hasn’t even cleared Godfrey to play in games, possibly because it fears retribution from the NCAA in case he plays in games and is later ruled ineligible via legal rulings or laws.

Still, Godfrey has been allowed to practice with the Wildcats and even accompanied them on their exhibition trip to Lithuania last month. During what were his first Tucson interviews since transferring to Arizona, he expressed optimism while admitting to a little anxiety.

That might have been clear when Godfrey noted with a smile that “in my heart I know I’ll be in a Bearcat uniform this season” — which might become true of Collins at Cincinnati but not quite Godfrey.

Clearly, for Godfrey, it's been a long few months.

“In the summer, it was kind of a little bit frustrating, but right now I value where my feet are,” Godfrey said. “I’m trying to take it day by day and attack every practice with the same mentality and focus on what’s in front of me.”

His teammates have been doing the same. Godfrey is widely expected to be UA’s starting power forward if eligible, and the Wildcats have been acting as if he’ll be there. He has been a consistent presence in practice, even as he missed UA's three exhibition games in Lithuania.

“Tommy said it (Monday): We’re preparing like he’s our four man,” forward Ivan Kharchenkov said, referring to UA coach Tommy Lloyd, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday. “We’re just preparing and playing and if it’s no, then it’s no. If it’s yes, then it’s yes. We’re just trying to prepare and get better.”

Kharchenkov said he figures he will probably have to “scootch over" to play power forward at times again this season even if Godfrey plays, since Godfrey could run into foul trouble.

But if Godfrey isn’t allowed to play at all, the Wildcats could struggle to fill the massive hole at power forward created when Tobe Awaka and Koa Peat left last spring.

UA’s other big men are natural centers— Motiejus Krivas, Ugnius Jarusevicius, Evan Otten and Endurance Aiyamenkhue — and while freshman Maksim Brnovic has a 6-10 frame and has been practicing against Godfrey at the four, he's known for skills more suited to the perimeter.

“We all do follow that situation with RJ, but we just hope that he'll play with us because we need him — I personally need him a lot because we play the same position," Brnovic said. “He’s a good big guy. He’s a good teammate. He deserves to play with us.”

For now, Godfrey is planning on it. Even if uncertainty forces him to consider what happens if he can't.

“Just being brutally honest: I have thought about that,” Godfrey said. “I would love to be a GA (grad assistant) for a year or do something with the team. Being here for a month already, I’ve got a pretty good bond with the guys, and this is a story I’d like to be a part of no matter if I’m a player or not.”

“(But sitting out) is not something that is real to me right now. I’m just focused on trying to lead this team in the right direction, and do great things for the city and the university.”

Rim shots

– Jarusevicius said his stopover in Germany on the way back from Lithuania last month to receive treatment on his back went well and that he has been practicing fully. The transfer from Nebraska missed all but one game last season with a back injury.

– Krivas said he has returned to playing fully after a foot injury limited his minutes in Lithuania, though guard JJ Mandaquit said he could not discuss whether he has been cleared fully after a foot injury hobbled him last season at Washington. Mandaquit did not play in UA's Lithuania games.

– The Big 12’s regular-season schedule is expected to be released Thursday, but the conference and ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla have already given out the Wildcats’ highlights: UA will open at Iowa State on Jan. 2, finish at Houston on March 6, host Kansas on Feb. 20 at McKale and play at BYU on Feb. 22 for a Big Monday game.

Those dates were revealed when the Big 12 announced its “Big Monday” schedule, and when Fraschilla posted a video of his top five upcoming games, naming the Houston-UA regular-season finale his No. 1 pick.