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Basketball2 min read

Former Big Ten Star Clears Path to Return to College After Brief NBA Stint

As college football programs battle over eligibility rules, a Timberwolves draft pick is fighting his own NCAA court case.
Former Big Ten Star Clears Path to Return to College After Brief NBA Stint

Sep 09, 2026 at 04:41 PM EDT

While college football continues to dominate headlines with its own fight over bringing back pro players, college basketball has now entered the conversation. On Wednesday, Trey Kaufman-Renn — who the Minnesota Timberwolves selected in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft — was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA that would allow him to return to college. Kaufman-Renn filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in late August as he seeks a sixth year of eligibility.

It's not the first instance of a former pro basketball player trying to return to college, but given everything going on right now between LSU and the SEC in football, the timing puts an even bigger spotlight on college sports' biggest controversy.

More news: SEC Dared to Throw Out LSU: ‘Go Ahead and Do It, Watch’

More news: NCAA Issues Major Rule Change After Michigan-Western Michigan Controversy

Kaufman-Renn, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound power forward, spent his entire five-year college career at Purdue, where he developed into one of the nation's top frontcourt players.

He was part of the 2023-24 Boilermakers squad that went 34-5 and reached the national championship game alongside two-time Naismith College Player of the Year Zach Edey and All-American guard Braden Smith. The following season, Kaufman-Renn took on a bigger role, averaging a career-high 20.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 59.5% from the field — earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.

He went on to become the 59th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, joining a Timberwolves team in need of frontcourt depth. But he still hasn't signed an official contract with the team, according to his lawyer — which has paved the way for him to pursue extended eligibility and a return to college.

Whether he'd go back to Purdue specifically remains to be seen, but that feels like the most likely outcome — not just because of his legacy there, but because the Big Ten currently doesn't prohibit NBA players from returning. Its rules are currently aimed strictly at NFL players.

More news: Dabo Swinney Sends Defiant Message Amid Clemson Buyout Rumors

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It was published on September 9, 2026 and last updated on October 9, 2026. The time of the story is shown in your own time zone on the page.

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