Georgia injunction clears path for RJ Godfrey to play for Arizona men's basketball

An injunction was granted Wednesday in Georgia allowing Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey and 15 other plaintiffs the right to play next season despite the NCAA's decision to exclude current four-year veterans from its new "five-in-five" rule. The injunction follows similar injunctions in Ohio and Tennessee.

"THE THIRD 5-IN-5 STATE COURT INJUNCTION BATTLE IS WON," posted Florida attorney Darren Heitner, who filed the Georgia lawsuit on behalf of Godfrey and other plantiffs.

The injunction gives legal backup for Godfrey in case a Colorado U.S. District judge’s class-action ruling that all high school class of 2022 athletes who just finished four straight seasons can return for a fifth year in 26-27 does not hold up. The NCAA has been challenging the Colorado ruling.

“Godfrey is eligible right now, since he's part of the Colorado class,” Sam Ehrlich, a Boise State associate professor who broke the news of the Colorado ruling last week, said before the Georgia ruling was issued Wednesday. "All of the 2022 high school athletes are covered under the Colorado ruling.

"But there are other lawsuits — including the Georgia one — that involve certain players, either because they filed first, are seeking broader relief (e.g., transfer portal), or just want to make sure that they'd still be eligible if the Colorado injunction gets overturned.

"Those players are still under the Colorado injunction, but have the extra layer of security if the injunction does get overturned."

Ehrlich said Godfrey is also OK to transfer, since he proactively entered the portal in April, when he wasn't technically eligible for a fifth season, but even that may not matter after the Georgia injunction. Heitner posted that the Georgia injunction orders the NCAA not to restrict plaintiffs from playing for another school, regardless of whether the portal is open.

Godfrey played three seasons for Clemson and another with Georgia, meaning he would be out of eligibility under the NCAA's old rule that allowed players a five-year window to play a maximum of four seasons.

It was not clear Wednesday morning if Arizona would immediately suit up Godfrey for practices or at least announce his addition to the team. Arizona held another practice Wednesday in preparation for its exhibition trip to Lithuania.

As of Wednesday morning, Godfrey has announced his commitment to the Wildcats but the school had not. 

Before the Georgia ruling, Heitner said that it might pay for Arizona to be a little cautious.

“The athlete has nothing to lose,” Heitner told the Star in an email. “The question is whether the school should take comfort in playing him. And if I were in the athletic department, I’d like to see a clear judge’s order that gives me comfort in doing so.”

But when asked Wednesday via email if he would now feel comfortable enough to suit up Godfrey after the Georgia ruling, Heitner replied, "YES."

Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois said before the ruling Wednesday that UA is being cautious with all athletes covered by the class-action ruling, including football players Ismail Mahdi and linebacker Max Harris, who might also return to Arizona for a fifth season.

“There are nuances,” Reed-Francois told the Star on Tuesday. “We would welcome student-athletes to come back. We just have to make sure that we have the appropriate protective measures in place and that we work collaboratively with the NCAA.”

Asked Tuesday via its media query portal if it considered 2022 high school graduates eligible as of now, the NCAA did not respond by Wednesday morning.

Though it may be unnecessary with the Georgia injunction, Godfrey will have even more backing for his bid to play next season if the Colorado ruling holds.

In reference to the NCAA’s appeal of the Colorado ruling, Heitner posted on X Tuesday that the Colorado U.S. District court issued a briefing schedule in which the plaintiffs have a Thursday deadline to respond and the NCAA has an Aug. 10 deadline to reply.

“The expectation is that the plaintiffs will wait until the last minute of Aug. 6 to file their response, and the NCAA will file a reply on Aug. 7,” Heitner posted. “One party is much more motivated than the other to obtain a ruling from the court.”

In the Georgia lawsuit, Heitner and fellow attorney Ryan Downton had argued that the athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 were being unfairly restrained by the NCAA's decision to keep them from a fifth year when those who graduated in 2023 or later will all receive as many seasons.