Detroit's Orlando Lovejoy, granted fifth year, chooses his new school

DETROIT - Once his college career was temporarily prolonged by a judge, Orlando Lovejoy is set to journey to the frozen landscapes of Green Bay. The basketball star, who shone for Detroit Mercy men's team over the past two years, has committed to join the Horizon League program Green Bay for his final season. Lovejoy was among the many 2022 high-school athletes who were given a fifth season through temporary restraining orders from various judges throughout the United States.

The NCAA recently announced a five-year eligibility period, beginning with the class of 2023. Standing at 23, Lovejoy was among the top point guards in the Horizon League over the last two years, with his exceptional performance leading the Titans close to the league tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

As a Detroit native, he played all 31 games in the 2025-26 season, topping the league in scoring (15.8 points), assists (3.7), and steals (1.6). His free-throw accuracy was an impressive 89.2%. Following his initial two seasons at Eastern Michigan, Lovejoy transferred to Detroit Mercy after the school recruited Mark Montgomery as head coach.

He even considered transferring again to exploit NIL opportunities after his debut season at Detroit Mercy, but ultimately, he remained with the Titans and guided them to the Horizon League championship game, which they lost to Wright State by a score of 66-63. Lovejoy was a four-time all-state selection in high school from Summit Academy.

At Green Bay, he will be under the leadership of Doug Gottlieb, a former sports-talk media personality beginning his third season. Green Bay's performance under Gottlieb's coaching improved from 4-28 in his first season to 18-15 in his second. The move to Green Bay is estimated to be worth between five figures and six figures in NIL money.

Lovejoy could not return to Detroit Mercy for his fifth season because their roster was already full with 15 scholarship players for the upcoming season. Various teams nationwide have adopted different strategies regarding filling roster spots or keeping one or two spots open while awaiting the judges' decisions. Detroit Mercy is also ineligible for the postseason in 2026-27 due to NCAA academic violations.

Lovejoy is the most recent significant loss for Detroit Mercy this offseason. Junior guard TJ Nadeau, a Detroit Catholic Central graduate and the second-leading scorer for the Titans in 2025-26, transferred to Tulane. Green Bay will face Detroit Mercy in a game on Sunday, January 3.