At the Donovan Dent Camp at Legacy Academy, the former New Mexico Lobos and UCLA Bruins lead guard stated that he’s now chasing a fifth year of college eligibility from the NCAA. The 6-2, 185-pound 22-year-old previously said he was retiring from the game of basketball back in May.
With New Mexico, Dent was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and received Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 2024-25 campaign.
Last season with the Bruins, he averaged 13.3 points on a 40.8 field goal percentage/25.4 three-point percentage/65.5 free throw percentage, 7.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 35 games played and was named Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention. He dealt with a calf injury leading up to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Gonzaga’s coaching staff, who were in contact with Dent during the 2025 offseason, has to be all over this breaking and game-changing news. This would bring the Zags right back into the national championship picture.
A reported 12 high-level schools have already reached out. Regarding a return to UCLA and coach Mick Cronin, that is not in the cards, per 247 Sports’ Kris Johnson.
Dent will be represented by attorney Ryan Downton when dealing with this fight against the NCAA, Aaron Heisen of Southern California News Group was told. Downton has helped 15 athletes be granted an injunction in the state of Ohio and 11 in the state of Colorado for a fifth year of college eligibility. Since Dent has played exactly four seasons since 2022-23, he fits the NCAA’s new 5-in-5 rule mold.
In case this all falls through, other experienced point guard names to monitor through the ravaged transfer portal are Maryland Terrapins senior Myles Rice and Providence Friars senior Jason Edwards, who are also seeking another season of college eligibility.
Michigan Wolverines junior L.J. Cason entered the portal on July 13 after the departure of coach Dusty May to the Dallas Mavericks. Due to his torn ACL injury suffered in late February, the recovery timeline wouldn’t work out for Cason as immediate backcourt support. A typical injury of that caliber takes 9-to-12 months to get back on one’s feet. He had the surgery in May.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
