Another day, another win in court for Michigan basketball's Roddy Gayle Jr.
Gayle, a fifth-year wing, sat out the first two exhibition games of the season
after an oversight in his ruling. He was cleared in September by a New York judge to compete with the Wolverines in 2026-27, but the preliminary injunction did not mention he participated in the NBA Summer League, even though it was known to all parties.This week, Gayle's legal team filed an amended complaint in his case with the Supreme Court of the State of New York. It prevents the NCAA from declaring Gayle ineligible "on the basis of Plaintiff's participation in the 2026 NBA Summer League, his receipt of a $1,700 Summer League stipend, or his agent agreement," per court documents.
The action
has been granted for now, which should put Gayle on track to play Sunday, Oct. 25, in Michigan's final exhibition game against Houston in Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena (1 p.m., BTN+).
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"His injunction order didn't address his participation in Summer League. Simple as that," coach Mike Boynton Jr. said Oct. 11 after Gayle missed U-M's 87-62 exhibition win over Eastern Michigan. "There needs to be an amendment added to the injunction that says this includes not having anything to do with his participation in Summer League, which we hope will be in the next couple days."
This does not mean Gayle's situation is fully resolved as the NCAA can still file an appeal in the coming weeks. However, U-M is clear from the NCAA "assessing or threatening to assess any penalty" for playing Gayle in upcoming games.
Gayle, a Niagara Falls native, played a career-high 39 games last season for the national champions, averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.1 minutes per game that included a key 16-point performance against Alabama in the Sweet 16. He has played in 146 games across his career, starting 72 games (including 25 for U-M in 2025-26).
"I did not leave college for professional basketball," Gayle said in a statement when he filed his original lawsuit. "I completed four seasons, I graduated, and the NCAA’s new carve-out told me I could not play a fifth. Only then did I turn to professional basketball.
"I have never played in a professional regular-season game, and I have never been paid a salary to play basketball, in any league or any country. … I am not asking the court to order any school to put me on its roster. I am not asking the NCAA for money, and I seek no damages. I am asking only that the NCAA be restrained from declaring me ineligible, from interfering with Michigan’s decision to let me play, and from punishing Michigan, its coaches, or my teammates for following this court’s order, so that I may compete for a spot on the same terms as every other player.”
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball's Roddy Gayle Jr. can play after new court ruling
