Judge’s Surprising Ruling Unlocks Gonzaga Star Tyon Grant-Foster’s Season Eligibility—What It Means for the Team’s Title Hopes

In a twist that’s equal parts surprising and heartening, Gonzaga’s Tyon Grant-Foster just snagged a legal win that lets him lace up for the Bulldogs this season. This 25-year-old guard faced a towering roadblock when the NCAA nixed his eligibility appeal—claming his clock had run out after stints at junior college and Grand Canyon University. But here’s where the story takes a sharp turn: Grant-Foster’s legal team argued the NCAA’s stance was, frankly, out of line with the blanket waiver promised to junior college transfers starting December 2024. On Monday, Spokane County Judge Marla Polin didn’t just listen—she delivered a preliminary injunction that swings the door wide open for Grant-Foster to hit the court once more. It’s a win that echoes far beyond the hardwood, a testament to grit and the pursuit of fairness in the tangled world of college sports eligibility. Curious about all the drama and what it means for the season ahead? LEARN MORE

SEATTLE — Gonzaga guard Tyon Grant-Foster’s eligibility for this season has been reinstated by a Spokane County judge.

The NCAA had denied an appeal from Grant-Foster, 25, earlier in the month on the grounds that his two years in junior college and two at Grand Canyon University accounted for four years of eligibility.

Grant-Foster’s lawyers argued it would be illegal to deny him the blanket waiver given to former junior college transfers in December 2024.

Judge Marla Polin granted him on Monday a preliminary injunction to play for the 21st-ranked Bulldogs.

“We are elated for Tyon. He is an extraordinary young man who has overcome every obstacle to earn this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” lawyer Elliot Abrams said in a statement. “We deeply appreciate Judge Polin for cutting through the NCAA’s obfuscation and delivering a fair, just ruling that protects a young man and his future from the NCAA’s illegal conduct.”

Grant-Foster was a member of the high school class of 2018. He played two seasons at Indian Hills Community College and then was recruited by Kansas, where he played one season in a limited role. He transferred to DePaul ahead of the 2021-22 season, and collapsed in the locker room at halftime in the Blue Demons’ season opener.

He underwent multiple heart surgeries and missed more than a year of basketball while recovering.

He returned to play in 2023-24 at Grand Canyon, averaging 20.1 points and 6.1 rebounds to win Western Athletic Conference player of the year.

He averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in the 2024-25 season in 26 games for the Antelopes.

Gonzaga opens the regular season Nov. 3 against Texas Southern.