Former Tiger Zachary Davis files a lawsuit seeking additional eligibility

Former Tigers wing Zachary Davis is one of 12 players filing a lawsuit in Tennessee seeking an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA.

The lawsuit stems from the new age-based NCAA rule, which allows players five years of eligibility to be used within a five-year span. According to the new rules, players are permitted “up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in college no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday.”

The rule change is looking to streamline the Division I rule book by eliminating some of the issues that arise from redshirt rules, season-of-competition limits and eligibility extension waivers.

“While previous NCAA rules have served college sports well for a long time, we heard also loud and clear from NCAA members and student-athletes that eligibility rules should be easier to understand,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a press release on NCAA.com. “This change to an age-based model eliminates aspects of the rules that have proven difficult to administer in the current litigious environment and clearly defines the exceptions available in limited circumstances, while preserving the long-intended alignment of eligibility with typical college enrollment and graduation patterns, because 98% of the 550,000 NCAA student-athletes will go pro in something other than sports.”

While student-athletes with remaining eligibility will benefit from the rule change, athletes who ran out of eligibility in 2026 were not granted additional eligibility. That’s where the new lawsuit comes into play.

All 12 of the co-plaintiffs are players who didn’t serve a redshirt year and played for seasons of college basketball. The lawsuit is arguing that the new structure unfairly eliminated a fifth year for these student-athletes.

In addition to the additional year of eligibility, the lawsuit asks for a temporary injunction that bars the NCAA from punishing the players listed from enrolling and playing for a school after not entering the transfer portal. It also bars the NCAA from punishing schools for playing the athletes listed in the lawsuit.

Davis played his senior season at Memphis and averaged 7.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 29 games. If the players receive a temporary injunction, Davis would play for a different team during the 2026-27 season.

The Tigers already have 15 players on their roster, and it doesn’t appear Penny Hardaway would make a change to bring Davis back.

List of players included in lawsuit:

Jalen Washington - Vanderbilt

Brody Robinson - Oakland

Jack Browder - Carson Newman

Olamide Ajiboye - Southern Indiana

Daniel Egbuniwe - St. Bonaventure

Cameron Fens - South Dakota

Chendall Weaver - Texas

Jason Edwards - Providence

Tarence Guinyard - Duquesne

AJ Storr - Ole Miss

Zachary Davis - Memphis

Carly Keats - Southern Miss (women’s basketball)