Court Grants Temporary Restraining Order in Trey Kaufman-Renn Eligibility Battle
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A judge's ruling creates a potential roster shake-up as the former Purdue star seeks a sixth year of eligibility.
Judge Kyle P. Williams of Clark County Circuit Court No. 6 granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Wednesday in favor of former Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is fighting the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, as CBS Sports first reported. According to the outlet, Kaufman-Renn is seeking a fifth season of play for the 2026-27 season.
Kaufman-Renn, a 2021 high school graduate, missed his freshman season at Purdue due to a knee injury in November 2021 that required surgery. After redshirting, he played four seasons. While the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the No. 59 pick in the June NBA Draft, CBS Sports reports he never signed a contract with the team.
Despite the TRO, Kaufman-Renn's path is more complex than other athletes arguing for the NCAA's new age-based eligibility model. He argues that he would not have taken a redshirt season had he known the current eligibility constraints. While no court date has been set for a preliminary injunction, Kaufman-Renn told reporters he has been in contact with "six or seven schools."
Several high-profile programs are identified as potential destinations if he is cleared to play:
* **LSU:** CBS Sports notes the Tigers have been aggressive in using court rulings to field a roster. The program currently has four guaranteed eligible players and several others—including Donovan Dent, Skyy Clark, and RJ Luis Jr.—who are only temporarily eligible. * **Kentucky:** The Wildcats have a vacancy at forward after a player identified as Mitchell returned to Missouri. Kentucky recently added former Iowa State player Milan Momcilovic via the transfer portal. * **Arizona:** The Wildcats are seeking a starting-level power forward after Koa Peat remained in the NBA Draft. Arizona has already added former Clemson forward RJ Godfrey, who was granted a fifth year, and features Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov in the frontcourt. * **Kansas:** The Jayhawks lack experience in the frontcourt, where they are projected to start Paul Mbiya and Christian Reeves. Reeves, a transfer from Charleston, recently underwent shoulder surgery.
CBS Sports reports that SEC schools, including Kentucky and LSU, may face hurdles because Kaufman-Renn played in the NBA Summer League and was auto-enrolled in the NBA Draft.
A return to Purdue appears unlikely. Kaufman-Renn stated Tuesday there has been no "giant conversation" regarding a return. Purdue coach Matt Painter previously suggested that returning players would put other athletes in "tough spots," though he expressed support for former players if they sought extreme financial opportunities elsewhere.