The college sports world has been an ever-changing landscape over the past few years with the implementation of Name, Image and Likeness deals and constantly shifting rules around eligibility, with college football and basketball standing at the forefront of these changes. 

One of the biggest ways that college sports have been in flux has been with athletes who have seemingly put their college days behind them and moved on toward a professional career, only to double back and try to play an additional year at the college level to try and boost their stock even more. 

One of the latest attempts at gaining an extra year of college eligibility has come from Trey Kaufman-Renn, who was drafted 59th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2026 NBA Draft. 

Kaufman-Renn has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an additional season of completion, per a recent report from the Indy Star. Kaufman's argument is centered around the fact that since he redshirted in the 2021-22 college season and played four seasons afterward, he should have a fifth year of eligibility left to him.

In Kaufman-Renn's argument, he stated that he was deprived of a fifth year of eligibility after the NCAA introduced a new policy that stated that athletes who lose one of their five years of eligibility, even due to redshirting, could petition to have extra year of eligibility reinstated. 

But the NCAA has since changed that policy and gotten rid of that exception, which Kaufman-Renn is arguing deprived him and other athletes whose eligibility ended in 2025-26 of an extra year that the old policy would have given them at a chance at reclaiming. 

"He does not ask this Court to give him something that the old rules withheld. He asks not to be the one person left outside a benefit the NCAA handed everyone else," attorney Mickey K. Weber of New Albany wrote in a brief supporting the motion. 

Kaufman-Renn averaged 11.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in four seasons for Purdue, but hasn't yet signed a contract with the Timberwolves after being selected in the second round of the draft and with his lawsuit now revealed, petitioning for an extra college season seems to be a likely reason behind his hesitation. 

Ren likely would have had a tough time making the NBA roster straight out of the gate and a two-way contract would have been the more likely future for him, but now he's looking to elevate his position even more. 

The college sports world is truly a new frontier and with Kaufman-Renn not having actually signed a NBA contract, though he did play in the Summer League, he may have a case. Players like Thierry Darlan and Charles Bediako have secured college eligibility after playing actual G-League games, so Kaufman-Renn's situation is not unprecedented. 

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) dunks the ball against the Arizona Wildcats in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) celebrates the team’s 79-77 win Thursday, March 26, 2026, after a Sweet 16 game against the Texas Longhorns at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) reacts after scoring against the Miami Hurricanes during a NCAA Tournament second round game Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Purdue defeated Miami 79-69. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect