Unfortunately, college sports fans are being forced to become amateur legal experts in order to keep up with their favorite school's attempt to field a team. That is the case for Texas Tech basketball fans who are counting on three key players to be granted a fifth year of eligibility by the legal system. Unfortunately, the latest court development is not good news for one of those players, sharpshooter Donovan Atwell.
Friday morning, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted a stay of a lawsuit filed in Colorado that had granted players who exhausted their four years of eligibility between 2022 and 2026 an extra year to play in the NCAA. Previously, an injunction ordered by a court in Colorado gave all players of the signing class of 2022 who were out of eligibility an extra year, regardless of whether or not a player had filed an individual lawsuit.
Now, only players who have a separate lawsuit or injunction in which they are specifically named are eligible for the fifth year. That group includes Red Raider transfer additions, Darrion Williams and Jamichael Stillwell.
Atwell, however, has not filed a lawsuit on his own behalf, meaning that his eligibility is tied to the Colorado case that granted a blanket injunction to all 2022 athletes. Therefore, until this case is settled, Atwell is technically ineligible to play in the 2026-27 season.
All hope is not lost, though. There will be an appeal hearing to determine the outcome of the case, and given the NCAA's track record for losing high-profile court battles, the Red Raiders should still feel confident that Atwell and his cohorts will earn their fifth year.
Also, there is the possibility that Atwell could file a lawsuit as a co-plaintiff to have his case considered on an individual basis, as Williams and Stillwell did. In other words, the legal maneuvering is far from finished.
Atwell would make Texas Tech a Final Four contender
One of the best shooters in college basketball, Atwell would give the Red Raiders even more firepower from beyond the arc. What's more, he is an underrated defender. Thus, it's easy to see why his presence on the court is so valuable to Texas Tech this season.
Even if Atwell doesn't play for the Red Raiders again, head coach Grant McCasland has a fantastic roster. At the guard spot, he's added a pair of players who averaged over 20 points per game last season in Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn. Each shot 40% or better from deep a season ago.
However, Atwell brings more to the floor than just the 13.5 points per game he averaged last year while shooting an absurd 45% from beyond the arc. He is a leader who could set the tone for the Red Raiders after having spent a year in McCasland's program. Don't overlook the importance of leadership for a team that is welcoming seven players to the roster who have never played for McCasland.
Atwell is also two inches taller than Davis and four inches taller than Gibbs-Lawhorn. That type of length could be invaluable on the defensive end, where he is expected to harass the opposition's top guard on a nightly basis.
If Atwell is part of the 2026-27 Red Raiders, Texas Tech will be a legitimate Final Four contender, especially if star forward JT Toppin can return to full health after tearing a ligament in his knee in February. Texas Tech would still be a handful without Atwell on the court, but his addition could be what puts this version of the Red Raiders over the top. Now, all we need is for the legal system to play out in Atwell's favor.
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