Although the NCAA said last month that a "waiver process" is in place for two-time grad transfers, such as incoming Arizona guard Justin Kier, the NCAA now says they will be eligible to play immediately next season without a waiver.
The NCAA mentioned the waiver possibility in a FAQ on the new one-time transfer rules last month, and earlier this month it announced strict barriers for second-time undergraduate transfers. In that announcement, the NCAA said the graduate transfer rules would remain in place while a "working group" would continue to examine how second-time graduate transfers are handled.
But an NCAA spokesperson clarified to the Star this week that the graduate transfer rules apply even to those who have already transferred, so they can compete immediately at a third school if they are otherwise eligible.
That means Kier can play for the Wildcats next season, and that former UA guard Terrell Brown will be eligible for Washington and Jemarl Baker can play for Fresno State. But two three outgoing two-time undergraduate transfers from UA -- James Akinjo (Baylor) and Jordan Brown (Louisiana) - will have to meet either the NCAA's current education-impacting disability guideline or an updated guideline that addresses a “real and imminent health and safety” threat in order to play next season.
The NCAA's statement said of two-time undergraduate transfers: "The disability guideline requires the transferring student to provide documentation showing that the student-athlete needs support services and/or treatment that was unavailable or inadequate at the previous school but available at the school to which they are transferring.
"The health and safety guideline requires schools to provide timely, objective documentation demonstrating that the transfer was due to unique, extenuating and extraordinary circumstances outside the student’s control and caused by an imminent threat to the student’s health or safety."
The NCAA's wording suggests that two-time undergraduate transfers will have a harder time gaining a waiver than one-time transfers used to before they were granted universal exceptions, but the flood of two-time transfers this spring will undoubtedly test how this plays out in practice.
Former UA guard Brandon Williams said he will participate in a pro combine next week in Florida.
Excited to be apart of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. Can’t wait to showcase my abilities in front of scouts! #TampaBayCombine @_TBPC pic.twitter.com/fzi7YbpBiv
— Brandon Williams (@TheeBWill) May 28, 2021
