Gophers coach Niko Medved rants about ‘chaos’ in NCAA eligibility rules
Niko Medved warned reporters Thursday he could talk for 20 minutes about the recent twists and turns involving the legal fallout from the NCAA’s new five-for-five eligibility rule. The Gophers men’s basketball coach then went on to speak for than seven minutes on the subject after the 72-52 exhibition win over Omaha at The Barn. Medved said he was initially in favor of the new rule to allow ...
Gophers head coach Niko Medved expressed frustration on Thursday about the recent developments related to the NCAA's new five-for-five eligibility rule. After a 72-52 exhibition win over Omaha, Medved spoke for over seven minutes about the issue. Initially supportive of the rule when it was approved in June, Medved felt the NCAA "ambushed" them by implementing it during the 2026-27 academic calendar and making players from the 2022 class ineligible.
Cade Tyson, who led the Gophers in scoring last season, is currently ineligible and awaits a federal appeals court ruling on his eligibility status. Medved estimated that around 300 college basketball players, including Tyson, are in this situation and are either on rosters or eligible. Medved questioned the NCAA's foresight and legal representation, stating that the situation is creating "chaos."
Medved believes that a significant portion of coaches share his view and suggested that the NCAA should let these players play. He also acknowledged the perspective of programs that didn't recruit from the 2022 class, but still saw merit in his argument. If Tyson remains ineligible, the Gophers may face challenges, such as Cincinnati guard MJ Collins potentially gaining eligibility through Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's executive order.
Medved expressed concern about the potential for further chaos, with other states possibly following Ohio's lead.
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