Utah State transfer guard Kolby King has committed to Auburn, where he will play for head coach Steven Pearl and the Tigers in the 2026-27 season, according to On3's Joe Tipton. His path to Auburn ran through a federal courtroom in Ohio.
King was one of 15 plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in July challenging the NCAA's new age-based eligibility rule. The suit included Xavier's Filip Borovicanin and Cincinnati's MJ Collins among its plaintiffs. A preliminary injunction resulted from the case, clearing King and the other plaintiffs to play this coming season and to enter the transfer portal outside of the NCAA's standard window.
The age-based eligibility model sets an athlete's eligibility clock to begin upon initial full-time enrollment in college, or at the beginning of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first. The NCAA began implementing the rule this summer. Recruits starting in 2027 will be subject to the age-based model exclusively.
The Ohio lawsuit was one of several the NCAA has faced since announcing the rule change. A separate case in Colorado has drawn more attention after Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction stating that all athletes from the Class of 2022 can be eligible for the 2026-27 school year. Sweeney later clarified that transfer rules would not be affected by her ruling and that roster limits under the House v. NCAA settlement remain in place.
The NCAA filed for a stay of Sweeney's injunction pending appeal. Sweeney denied that request, but the governing body then appealed directly to the Tenth Circuit Court. The injunction remains in place while that appeal proceeds.
NCAA chief legal officer Scott Bearby addressed the situation this week, stating the association has no plans to retroactively apply the age-based eligibility rules. "The Division I Cabinet, including its student-athlete members, carefully considered whether to make the age-based eligibility rule apply retroactively, and decided that doing so would not be in the best interest of all current and future college athletes," Bearby said. "We stand behind and will continue to fully defend the membership's decision. The injunction should never have been granted, and we have asked the Tenth Circuit to permanently reverse it."
King played the 2025-26 season at Utah State after previously playing at St. John's, Tulane and Butler. He averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game with the Aggies. His best statistical season came at Tulane in 2023-24, when he averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
The Tenth Circuit has not yet ruled on the NCAA's appeal of Sweeney's Colorado injunction.
