Oklahoma men's basketball center Duke Brennan got the news his program needed Tuesday: a California judge has cleared the 6-foot-10 big man to play the entire 2026-27 season, ending weeks of uncertainty over his eligibility as the Sooners prepare for another season in the SEC.
A California Courtroom Decides Brennan's Fate
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Beth A.R. McGowen issued the preliminary injunction Tuesday, granting Brennan and 75 other college athletes eligibility through the end of the 2026-27 season, according to multiple reports cited by The Oklahoman. The ruling covers the plaintiffs in *Glancey v. NCAA*, a lawsuit that primarily involves players from the 2022 recruiting class, and the group had previously received a temporary restraining order while the case worked through the courts.
The lawsuit itself targets the NCAA's shift to a new age-based eligibility model built around a single five-year eligibility clock that begins the academic year after an athlete turns 19 or enrolls full-time, but effectively shut out athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and completed their fourth season in 2025-26, according to the College Sports Litigation Tracker. Brennan is among the players covered by the ruling, which means he can keep playing while the broader case continues.
From Four Schools to the Sooners' Frontcourt
Brennan's path to Norman has wound through three other programs. He spent the 2022-23 season at Arizona State before moving to Grand Canyon University for two seasons, helping lead that program to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, per Sports Illustrated. He then transferred to Villanova for the 2025-26 season, where the 6-foot-10 center averaged 12.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, ranking among the country's top rebounders, according to FOX Sports.
Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser announced Brennan's addition on August 20. Tae Davis entered the portal, and both he and Mohamed Wague were gone from Norman, per a Roundtable report on the signing. The SEC also has transfer eligibility guidelines, including a restriction on players who have signed professional contracts.
Brennan Isn't the Only Sooner Fighting for Eligibility
He's not the only Oklahoma player whose season has hinged on a courtroom. Transfer guard B.J. Edwards is pursuing his own extra year of eligibility through a separate case, *Washington v. NCAA*, after Tennessee's Davidson County Chancery Court issued an order granting temporary injunctive relief on July 31 in that suit, according to 247Sports.
These state-court fights unfolded after the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay in August against a federal class-action injunction out of Colorado that had briefly granted fifth-year eligibility to all 2022 recruits nationwide. Athletes like Brennan and Edwards have separate protections and are not relying on the nationwide ruling.
A Delayed Hearing Finally Reaches a Verdict
Brennan's case didn't move quickly. The preliminary injunction hearing for *Glancey v. NCAA* did not have time to hear testimony from all witnesses and was continued until Tuesday, keeping Brennan's status in limbo for weeks.
The ruling covers Brennan and 75 other college athletes, extending beyond a single player.
What Comes Next
The ruling is a preliminary injunction, not a final resolution, which means the underlying *Glancey v. NCAA* case remains pending. Hoodline previously reported on a related dispute over fifth-year eligibility, part of a wider legal pattern that has also touched football and golf programs nationwide this fall. For now, Brennan is set to anchor Oklahoma's frontcourt for the full season as the Sooners continue in the SEC.
