Aberdeen will be in the lineup against Baylor on Sunday

Denzel Aberdeen will be in the starting lineup Sunday (2 p.m., VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena) when the public gets its first look at the preseason No. 1 Florida Gators in action against Baylor in an exhibition game. Unlike many of the athletes who have sued the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility, Aberdeen has a rock solid legal case that should withstand the inevitable NCAA appeal.

The NCAA believes it is chaos that a player who graduated high school in 2022 should be able to play a fifth year. The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, enacted By-Law 12.6 back on Aug. 1. This “5-for-5” legislation grants five years of eligibility over five consecutive years. After passing the new rule, the NCAA announced that high school grads from 2022 will be excluded while those from 2023 onward will get the fifth year.

What the NCAA failed to do was put the exclusion year in the legislation, which was the foundation of Aberdeen’s case. Alachua County Judge George M. Wright granted Aberdeen a temporary injunction allowing him to play, noting in his ruling that the NCAA failed to explicitly exclude 2022 high school grads in the by-law language and contract law does not allow for intent nor does it allow the NCAA to retroactively alter terms after the fact. Legal experts across the country have opined that the ruling by Judge Wright will withstand an appeal unlike the cases for a fifth year that are based on anti-trust case law.

On Friday, the NCAA filed a lawsuit against Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who issued an executive order that grants state of Ohio athletes from 2022 the right to compete. The NCAA argued that DeWine’s order violates provisions of the Commerce Clause. Also on Friday, a Kentucky judge granted a temporary injunction that granted more than 30 athletes a fifth year while blocking the NCAA from enforcing exclusion of 2022 grads. Earlier in the week, the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals heard arguments to overturn the stay of a Colorado ruling that granted every 2022 athlete a fifth year. Expect more lawsuits and more appeals as this case makes its way through the courts.

What makes this entire situation laughable is the NCAA’s insistence that allowing 2022 grads a fifth year while essentially allowing 2023 grads two years (2026-27 season and 2027-28) is causing chaos in the ranks and irreparable harm to the games. Even more interesting is the NCAA has been pushing for Congress to finalize the Protect College Sports Act.

“I believe the current standing of the stance the NCAA is taking is the situation that’s causing the chaos right now,” Florida coach Todd Golden weighed in at SEC Basketball Media Days in Birmingham. “I think when you have a rule that clearly states that players get five years of eligibility within a five-year clock, you’re trying to arbitrarily carve out a class to prevent chaos when said chaos has never been shown in really any examples across America or any sports.

“There’s a lot of points in this discussion that don’t make a lot of sense to us. The NCAA has marketed and spent millions of dollars promoting the Protect College Sports Act. If that were to pass, the class of ’22 athletes would be eligible to play. There’s some give-and-take to where that doesn’t make any sense, where they’re trying to prevent them from playing but in the same time arguing that this action passed in which they would be eligible.”

The NCAA has chosen to fight this to the finish. Eventually, many of these cases will wind up in the United States Supreme Court where the NCAA has a track record of losing nearly every case. The common sense thing would be to stop wasting millions of dollars in billable hours by lawyers and grant athletes the extra year. However, since when has common sense been a cornerstone of any NCAA argument?

Anticipated starting lineups for Florida-Baylor

Florida: Alex Condon (6-11, 236, 4th); Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215, 4th); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 265, 4th); Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, 5th); Boogie Fland (6-3, 190, 3rd)

Baylor: Kayden Mingo (6-1, 195, 2nd); Dylan Mingo (6-4, 185, 1st); Brett Decker Jr. (6-0, 202, 3rd); Isaac Celiscar (6-6, 237, 3rd); Juslin Bodo Bodo (6-11, 250, 4th)

Other SEC coaches’ comments about the NCAA

John Calipari, Arkansas: “I don't mind kids transferring. You just can't transfer four times because it's not good for you. Four schools in four years, you'll never have a college degree, but that last place you'll be, they'll really be loyal to you. You're a mercenary … My thing with transfers, they should be able to transfer once without penalty and then after that you can transfer. Just you have to sit out, but you can transfer. I'm not saying don't transfer, but we're doing a disservice to these kids the way it's being handled right now.”

Chris Beard, Ole Miss: “The new rule comes out at a weird time where players have real options and stuff. I’m not the expert on all that, but I’m just hoping at some point common sense prevails. A part of common sense would be if a guy signed a pro contract, he’s on a pro team, of course. But most of these players, like our two you mentioned, Corey (Stephenson) and Micah (Handlogten) are not pro players. They’re simply looking for the opportunity that the class before them and the class after them got. The timing of the NCAA to come out with that rule is very perplexing to me.”

Rick Barnes, Tennessee: “I don’t think the NCAA should have done what they did by announcing it when they did. If they had a way, we wouldn’t be in this situation. But now I think, in my honest opinion, if one (fifth-year) guy is eligible, they should all be eligible. And it won’t play out like that. Probably not.”

Chris Jans, Mississippi State: “The window has changed every year, right? The length of it, the start of it, the end of it, the whole five-for-five throws another wrench into the equation. There are a lot of things that are going to happen. The kids that redshirted last year, I had two kids, of course if I'd known it was five-for-five, we wouldn't dream of doing something like that. Who knows where all that will land in the next few years. When those kids start matriculating into getting into their fourth and fifth years, they're going to say, I got screwed over here. In terms of the chaos, the word that you used, that's what it is. I think we just understand that's the way it is. That's the work environment. You can't complain about it. Everybody is dealing with it.”

Florida basketball recruiting: Eleven international players to watch

Stefan Joksimovic (6-8, 200, Slovenia): Already reminding people of AJ Dybantsa. He’s just a basketball player, which is to say put him on the court and he will find a place to play. Averaged 23.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game at the FIBA Under 18 Euros which has NBA scouts thinking first round in next summer’s draft. It is thought that he is leaning toward at least one year in college, quite possibly at Florida since he is buddies with Urban Klavjar and Domen Petrovic.

Diego Niebla (6-8, 215, Spain): Currently averaging 14.7 points and 7.0 rebounds playing in the Spanish League for Joventut Badalona. At the FIBA Under-18 Euros last summer averaged 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His 3-point shooting fell off in 2026. Shot 45.5 percent on threes the year before in the Under-18 Euros.

Aubrey Chunga (6-5, 200, New Zealand): As a 17-year-old averaged 10.9 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Wellington Saints. Turned 18 in February. Outstanding 3-point shooter (45 percent last year). At the FIBA Asia Under-17 last summer averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds while hitting 37.5 percent from three.

Dash Daniels (6-5, 200, Australia): Younger brother of NBA star Dyson Daniels. Draft eligible in 2029 so it’s likely he will spend at least a couple of years in college. He’s always played with older players. Averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds for Australia in the FIBA Under 19 World Cup in 2025. Currently averaging 12.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in the Australian League playing for Southeast Melbourne.

Papa Cheickh Niang (6-5, 212, Senegal/Italy): Averaged 16.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists for Italy in the FIBA Under 18 Euros. Just turned 18 in September. Currently averaging 7.7 points and 3.2 rebounds for Dolomiti Energia Trento in the Italian League. Excellent 3-point shooter, more of a hybrid 2-3.

Klark Reithauser (6-3, 190, Switzerland): This guy is a bomber. Exceptional shooter who averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in the Swiss League. Shot 38 percent from the 3-point line.

Cameron Houindo (6-8, 210, France): Currently playing in Slovenia. As a 17-year-old averaged 8.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Will be 19 in January. Long arms, still growing, expected to top out at 6-10 and perhaps 235.

Hugo Yimga Moukori (6-8, 219, France): Currently playing in the French Super League where he is averaging 11 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Playing for France in the Under-18 Euros in the summer, averaged 17.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Inconsistent 3-point shooter (28.6 percent currently) but did shoot a career-high 40.9 percent a year ago. Turned 18 back in July.

Danielius Jasikevicius (5-7, 160, Lithuania): Don’t let the size fool you. Outstanding in the open court on the fast break and the best passer in Europe. At the FIBA Under-16 Euros lit up France for 21 points, six rebounds and nine assists. In the third place game against Spain, had 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Super quick. Can’t be pressed.

Ignas Stombergas (6-10, 216, Lithuania): Won’t be 19 until February. Currently averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game playing for Zalgiris in the Lithuanian league. Strictly an inside guy who is an exceptional shot blocker.

Andrej Pavlovic (7-0, 230, Serbia): Just turned 18 in June. Averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in Serbia. You can’t teach tall. Big upside on both ends of the court.