Tyon Grant-Foster Denied Appeal of Eligibility Waiver by NCAA
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Tyon Grant-Foster runs out to the floor during Kraziness in the Kennel on Oct. 4 at McCarthey Athletic Center. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics/Instagram [/caption]
Perhaps the writing should have been on the wall when the process to approve Tyon Grant-Foster’s eligibility waiver trickled further and further into the fall semester without any semblance of an update. If so, the handwriting got even clearer when the NCAA granted him a practice waiver on Oct. 1, allowing Grant-Foster to be with Gonzaga and practice, but still no word on allowing him to play in games for the Zags. It gave Grant-Foster the opportunity to practice with the team and participate in ‘Kraziness in the Kennel’, an annual pep rally where the Bulldogs host an intrasquad scrimmage.
After committing to transfer to Gonzaga from Grand Canyon in late May, there was always an obstacle ahead for Grant-Foster, as he was headed for his eighth season in college basketball, although the 25-year-old didn’t play in a sizable chunk of those years. But the NCAA has finally come to a decision, denying Grant-Foster’s request, a few days before the Zags play their first exhibition game against Northwest on Oct. 19.
A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Grant-Foster’s case is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 23, in Spokane County, according to Theo Lawson of the Spokesman-Review. Lawson reports that Spokane attorney Carl Oreskovich says the NCAA has not provided a reason for the denial, but he suspects it will be consistent with previous similar rulings adhering to the ‘five-year rule’.
In a statement released by the University, it says, "Gonzaga is aware of the legal action filed by Tyon Grant-Foster regarding NCAA eligibility rules. Tyon’s story is one of remarkable resilience, and we are hopeful for a positive outcome."
Per Lawson, Zags head coach Mark Few has filed a declaration prior to the hearing along with the general managers of the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Even with Grant-Foster beginning his college basketball tenure in the 2018-19 season, the Kansas City, Missouri native has had the opposite of a typical experience as a student-athlete. He started at the JUCO level, playing two seasons at Indian Hills Community College, where he averaged 8.2 points in 7.8 minutes per game his freshman year before that number rose to 16.5 points in 24.1 minutes a game in his sophomore season.
With JUCO seasons not counting against a player’s status, Grant-Foster then transferred to Kansas, presumably still holding his full five years of eligibility. He averaged just eight minutes per game in 22 games as a Jayhawk.
Grant-Foster’s next stop was DePaul, where he played just one half of basketball before collapsing at halftime of the Blue Demons’ season opener. He had to be resuscitated by the training staff, transported to the hospital, and had his heart shocked three times. The condition with his heart prevented him from playing basketball for the next 16 months, prompting Grant-Foster to miss the 2022-23 season and having limited options in the portal due to the health scare.
He was given an opportunity by GCU and made the most of it in his first year as an Antelope. Grant-Foster averaged just over 20 points along with six rebounds in 2023-24, being named to the All-WAC First Team and winning WAC Player of the Year. He declared for the NBA draft after his breakout season but withdrew as he got further into the process.
2024-25 saw a dip in production for Grant-Foster, as he scored a shade under 15 points a game with substantially less efficiency. He dealt with ankle issues throughout the season but still contributed to the Lopes’ third straight NCAA tournament berth.
With two years of JUCO play under Grant-Foster’s belt, combined with two seasons derailed due to his heart issues, the decision to deny his appeal for a waiver is controversial to say the least. There have been multiple other examples of players approved for additional years, as the process has been exhausted with all student-athletes being granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID and the increased usage of the transfer portal.
Grant-Foster’s saga could come to a close on Thursday at his injunction hearing, but as seen over the past five months, nothing is guaranteed.
