Trey Kaufman-Renn has asked a judge to block the NCAA and allow him another year of college eligibility, and the case moved quickly on Tuesday with Clark County Circuit Court No. 6 Judge Kyle P. Williams hearing nearly three hours of arguments and testimony before setting a noon Wednesday deadline for proposed orders.
The dispute matters because Kaufman-Renn is trying to secure a sixth year of eligibility for the 2026-27 season after already spending five years in college while competing in four seasons under the NCAA’s former model. He was selected 59th overall in the second round of the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves in June, and he also played with the Timberwolves in the NBA Summer League.
Why the case matters
This is not simply about one player asking for extra time. It is about whether Kaufman-Renn can still choose the college route after reaching the professional level, and whether that choice can be made even though he says he has already exhausted eligibility under both the NCAA’s former and new models.
He pointed to the financial difference between college opportunities and a low second-round NBA contract, saying the money offered by college programs could reach “six or seven” figures. That is the core of the argument: whether a player who has already been drafted should still be able to step back into college basketball if the NCAA says his eligibility is over.
Kaufman-Renn also framed the issue in personal terms, asking: “Why shouldn’t I be in that group?” He said the situation “doesn’t make a lot of sense to me,” and described the support around him as “supportive.”
The NCAA’s line in the sand
The NCAA is drawing a distinction between Kaufman-Renn and other athletes whose eligibility remained intact before they entered the pro draft process. That is the central legal tension in the case, and it explains why the hearing carried real significance for both sides.
Under the NCAA’s former model, Kaufman-Renn spent five years in college while competing in four seasons. The question now is whether that history still leaves room for a sixth year, or whether the NCAA can successfully argue that his path into the NBA has closed the door on another college season.
Judge Williams is expected to issue a ruling by Wednesday afternoon, which means the decision could come quickly. For Kaufman-Renn, that ruling will determine whether he is preparing for another college season or moving fully toward his professional future.
