Many seniors entered college basketball’s transfer portal despite having used all their eligibility with the hope of gaining another year under the proposed 5-for-5 model.
This week, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors told the Division I Cabinet to proceed with the concept. If approved, it would allow players to become eligible for a fifth year, subject to the NCAA’s established eligibility process.
Proposed 5-for-5 Eligibility Model Draws Mixed Reactions From College Basketball World
The Division I Board of Directors ordered the Cabinet to move forward with implementing an age-based eligibility concept that would allow student-athletes up to five years of eligibility after they turn 19 years old or graduate from high school, whichever comes first.
However, the board asked the Cabinet to include two key directives in future amendments. These include maintaining the Division I core guarantees that allow student-athletes to complete their degrees within 10 years of their eligibility expiring.
The other directive was to enforce the eligibility rule for student-athletes who would be freshmen in the 2026-27 season. This meant that senior players who exhausted their four-year eligibility in the 2025-26 academic year would not receive an extra year of play.
“New rules are not expected to retroactively apply to student-athletes whose eligibility is or will be completed by the spring of 2026,” the NCAA said.
The proposal drew mixed reactions from college basketball experts and student-athletes alike, with Matthew Leb, host of the Divine Providence Podcast, viewing the measure as a slap in the face to senior players who entered the transfer portal hoping to be covered by the 5-for-5 rule.
“Massive portal news. No 5th year wave,” Leb posted.
Massive portal news. No 5th year wave. https://t.co/XykMkQ3kLh
— Matthew Leb (@Leb_Zeppelins) April 27, 2026
ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Borzello felt relieved that the proposal would not be applied retroactively to 2025-26 graduates and to players who have already exhausted their eligibility.
“Sounds like we won’t have the most chaotic offseason of roster changes ever seen. (Thankfully.)” Borzello said.
Sounds like we won’t have the most chaotic offseason of roster changes ever seen. (Thankfully.) https://t.co/4lY0Tg4VlN
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 27, 2026
Kentucky Sports Radio reporter Brandon Ramsey hailed the ruling. Still, he warned that the measures could be affected by lawsuits that would follow once the proposal is fully adopted by the board and implemented in the coming season.
“It is good to see a little common sense from the NCAA. However, I’m worried that lawsuits will ruin it all and/or the rule will simply get eroded over time like many of the current rules that simply don’t get followed. Either way, I support the idea of 5-in-5 moving forward,” he wrote.
It is good to see a little common sense from the NCAA. However, I’m worried that lawsuits will ruin it all and/or the rule will simply get eroded over time like many of the current rules that simply don’t get followed.
Either way, I support the idea of 5-in-5 moving forward. https://t.co/3MFUyacfJ3
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) April 27, 2026
Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel felt it was unfair that his class did not receive an additional year of eligibility while playing against players granted a fifth year due to COVID-19, even though future classes will receive an extra year under the five-for-five rule.
“so we had to play with and against 5th years our entire time in college but we don’t get one?” he wrote. “and everyone after us gets one too? 🤔”
so we had to play with and against 5th years our entire time in college but we don’t get one? and everyone after us gets one too? 🤔 https://t.co/1efJCm3Fnu
— Tyler Nickel (tnick) (@tnick_5) April 27, 2026
Virginia Tech president and chairman of the NCAA board, Tim Sands, viewed the eligibility-related reforms as timely because they would provide educational institutions and future student-athletes with clear standards that would align with the experiences of current college athletes.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet will meet on May 22 to discuss and potentially vote on student-athlete eligibility reforms, specifically the proposed “five-for-five” model. NCAA president Charlie Baker expressed optimism that the new regulations will pass and take effect immediately.
