Roddy Gayle Jr. gets ruling to play for Michigan basketball in 2026-27

Michigan basketball secured a legal victory on Thursday, Sept. 24, as New York Judge Frank A. Sedita III issued a preliminary injunction for Roddy Gayle Jr. The ruling allows the key player, a member of the 2025-26 national championship team, to remain on the U-M basketball roster until a final decision is made.

Gayle's case is the second such injunction granted on the same day, following fellow guard Kenny Noland's earlier ruling in Columbia. Both players are among hundreds who have filed lawsuits against the NCAA, seeking an additional year of eligibility in line with the NCAA's shift to a "five-in-five" system for the class of 2027.

Gayle played four seasons at Ohio State and Michigan before signing a contract with the Detroit Pistons to participate in the Las Vegas Summer League in August. In his lawsuit, Gayle claimed he only left college because he felt there was no option for him to return, as the NCAA had not extended the "five-in-five" rule for 2026 seniors.

Gayle emphasized that he did not play professionally, as he never played a professional regular-season game or received a salary to do so. He requested that the NCAA be restrained from declaring him ineligible and from interfering with Michigan's decision to allow him to play, so he could compete for a spot on the team under the same conditions as other players.

The ruling for Noland, who played for U-M, was issued in Indiana and found that under the plain text of the NCAA Manual, the class of 2026 is eligible, as the new eligibility bylaw does not explicitly exclude them.