Sports
Judge grants restraining order against NCAA in Atwell case
A Lubbock County judge has blocked the NCAA from keeping former Texas Tech guard Donovan Atwell off the court, issuing a temporary restraining order that lets him join preseason workouts while his lawsuit moves forward. District Judge John Grace ruled that Atwell would suffer irreparable harm if he sat out this season under the NCAA's "new 5 for 5" eligibility rule.
District Judge John Grace ruled that Atwell would suffer irreparable harm if he sat out this season under the NCAA's "new 5 for 5" eligibility rule. Grace also found that Atwell is likely to win on his claims, and that no amount of money could fully compensate him for a lost season of play. The order protects Texas Tech as well, blocking the NCAA from punishing the school if it allows Atwell to practice or play.
He can suit up for preseason workouts now, and a hearing on a longer-term injunction is set for September 11. Texas Tech's first game tips off October 23, meaning the courts will likely have to move fast to settle this before it matters most on the floor.
The case puts a Lubbock courtroom at the center of a broader fight over NCAA eligibility rules that have frustrated players and programs across the country for years.
Common questions
What did the judge decide in the Donovan Atwell case?
- District Judge John Grace issued a temporary restraining order blocking the NCAA from keeping Atwell off the court. The judge ruled Atwell would suffer irreparable harm sitting out under the NCAA's new eligibility rule and that he is likely to win his lawsuit.
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