Key Takeaways
NCAA’s proposed “5-in-5” rule would allow college basketball players five seasons of eligibility in five years, eliminating traditional redshirting
Current seniors, including Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year Braden Smith, may not benefit if the rule isn’t enacted by this month
Big Ten coaches report hearing “something different every week” on timing, with most expecting implementation no earlier than 2026-27
The rule change would reduce roster spots available for incoming high school recruits, pushing more athletes toward junior college or lower-division programs
Purdue’s redshirt success with Trey Kaufman-Renn, who became an All-American candidate after sitting out 2021-22, represents the development model at risk
Conflicting Timelines Create Roster Planning Challenges
College basketball coaches at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago received no clear answer on whether the NCAA’s proposed “5-in-5” eligibility model will take effect for the 2025-26 season.
The proposed rule would allow players five seasons of competition within a five-year span, removing the traditional redshirt year where athletes practice but don’t compete. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said the latest information suggests implementation won’t happen this year. “The thing about it is you hear something different every week,” Hoiberg said. “The last we heard, it’s probably not going to happen this year, but it may happen in the future.”
Minnesota coach Niko Medved said that for the rule to apply to current seniors, it would need approval before football season ends. “My feeling is that it doesn’t happen this year, unless it happens quickly,” Medved said. “If you try to do it retroactively later, that might cause some challenges.”
Current Senior Class Faces Eligibility Uncertainty
The timing directly affects top seniors who could use an additional year of development. Purdue guard Braden Smith, named Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, would have the option of a fifth season if he’s not selected in the 2026 NBA Draft. UCLA point guard Donovan Dent, another preseason All-American selection, would exhaust his eligibility next March or April under current rules.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin referenced the uncertainty while discussing Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker at media days. “When you’re 6-foot-11, if he has a good year, he’ll be drafted,” Cronin said. “Whether it’s this year, next year, or his fifth year.”
Maryland coach Buzz Williams pointed to immediate recruiting decisions affected by the uncertainty. “I think this is the first season since COVID that we do not have COVID eligibility players competing, right?” Williams said. “If the rule took place and was voted on today, I think any coach would want to know, ‘Does that apply to the team that I have?’ Because that would dictate who I should or shouldn’t be recruiting now.”
How the Proposed Model Changes Player Development
The proposed model would eliminate redshirting as currently practiced in college basketball. Coaches have just two scrimmages to determine if a player will redshirt before they become ineligible to sit out for the season. “You get two scrimmages to figure out if you’re going to redshirt somebody and then they can’t play again,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum said. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Purdue coach Matt Painter has used strategic redshirting to develop players. Current All-American candidate Trey Kaufman-Renn sat out the 2021-22 season before becoming a key contributor. “I’m not a big fan of it,” Painter said of the proposed change. “I don’t like giving them more opportunities to leave. I want to give them more opportunities to stay and grow and develop as a group.”
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo expressed support for standardized rules across programs. “That’s one of the things that would be even for all of us,” Izzo said. “Some of these other things are not even for all of us.”
Effects on High School Recruiting and Alternative Pathways
The rule change would increase competition for roster spots, with 23-year-old fifth-year veterans potentially taking positions that would otherwise go to incoming freshmen. This would likely push more high school seniors toward junior college, Division II programs, or low-major Division I schools.
Minnesota coach Niko Medved said elite prospects would remain unaffected. “It’s not going to change Cooper Flagg,” Medved said, referencing Duke’s top freshman. “Cooper Flagg would have been the No. 1 pick in the draft whether he went to Duke or Delaware State. But a lot of these guys, the decisions that they make earlier on in their careers is going to have a huge impact on them playing at the next level.”
Michigan coach Dusty May questioned where the age limit should end. “I mean, I love coaching older guys, so it would be fun,” May said. “I just worry that then it’s going to be 6 for 6 and 7 for 7. What’s the right cutoff to not be on a college campus? I don’t know.”
What Coaches Face Without Clear Direction
With no implementation timeline confirmed, coaches must plan rosters without knowing whether current seniors can return for a fifth year. The NCAA’s administrative processes historically move slowly through multiple approval stages, making rapid enactment unlikely despite some speculation it could happen this month to align with football’s transfer portal window in early January.
Programs must now balance recruiting high school prospects against potentially retaining experienced players for fifth seasons. The uncertainty affects scholarship allocations, NIL budget planning, and multi-year roster construction across Division I programs.
image: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
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