Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia may have set a new precedent for former JUCO athletes when he sued the NCAA for one more year of eligibility. Could it help Iowa men's basketball's Tavion Banks get one more year in Iowa City?
Fifteen years ago, the idea of a college basketball player playing five years of collegiate basketball was unheard of.
Athletes usually stayed at their respective programs for four years unless drafted to the NBA, and that was that. The landscape looks a little different in 2026, however. Players are free to transfer an unlimited amount of times throughout their careers, and the COVID-19 pandemic granted any athlete that played during that time frame an extra year of eligibility.
Most of those players have since graduated, but playing more than four years of basketball isn't uncommon anymore. Players that are on their fifth (sometimes sixth) year of eligibility still rankles some fans, but it could come in handy for Ben McCollum's Iowa men's basketball team.
Though he doesn't have any eligibility remaining, Tavion Banks is desperate to secure it. Banks plans to enter the transfer portal while simultaneously testing the NBA Draft waters, announcing those plans in a social media post on April 15.
"As I explore all options in continuing my basketball career, I am declaring for the NBA Draft, while also entering my name into the transfer portal in the event that a fifth year is granted," Banks said. "If a fifth year becomes an option, I want to be a Hawkeye!"
"Competing as a Hawkeye this past season and helping lead this team to the Elite Eight was an amazing experience. This was one of the best years of my life and it was everything I could have imagined. I want to thank my family, coaches, teammates and Hawkeye Nation for making this a memorable year in my basketball journey."
Banks entering the portal helps Iowa
Banks' decision to enter the transfer portal confused many Hawkeye fans, but as he mentioned in his statement, he would like to remain an Iowa Hawkeye if awarded a fifth year.
Why would he enter the transfer portal? Iowa Everywhere's Chris Hassel explained it perfectly on X, but in short, if Banks doesn't enter the portal, he would take up a roster spot and should the waiver not be accepted, the Hawkeyes would have a wasted roster spot that could be used towards another transfer.
Not only does it benefit Iowa, this also benefits Banks himself. If the Hawkeyes spend all of their NIL money towards other transfers, then Banks could decide to transfer to another school if he gets another year of eligibility.
The "Pavia Rule"
Any player who has played NCAA athletics for four years isn't able to battle for another year of eligibility under the current rules. The reason why Banks is able to fight for one final season is because he played two seasons of junior college ball for Northwest Florida State.
Former Vanderbilt football quarterback Diego Pavia (who Iowa beat in the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl) sued the NCAA late in the 2024 season because he felt that his previous status as a junior college player limited his ability to capitalize on NIL earnings.
The NCAA responding by granting Pavia a waiver to play in the 2025 season while also awarding any former JUCO athletes (in all sports) the right to play in the 2025-26 season.
That was last season, but it could bring promise for Banks as he tries to secure a fifth year in Iowa City. McCollum and Co. are currently attempting to bolster their 2026-27 roster through the portal and probably won't mind regaining the services of one of their starters on last year's Elite Eight squad.
Only time will tell to see if Banks indeed remains an Iowa Hawkeye for one more campaign.
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