Ruling won’t get Green on URI court
Team preparing for him to return for 2024-25
SOUTH KINGSTOWN – David Green is unlikely to make his University of Rhode Island debut Saturday against Delaware.
A recent U.S. District Court ruling granting immediate eligibility for twotime transfers won’t change his status. Green spent previous time at Hofstra and Louisiana Tech before he was denied an NCAA waiver to suit up for the Rams in 2023-24.
A temporary restraining order was issued in West Virginia this week, setting a two-week window without penalty that runs through Dec. 27. The NCAA adopted the ruling and issued further guidance Thursday, informing schools its basketball players would still be using a full year of eligibility by appearing in any games during the designated period.
“At this point in time, David is not in our plan Saturday,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “We’re going to have to start weighing some options here as we look around the country, as certain guys are starting to participate. As you head into conference play, that would be a different story.
“But not fair to David. Not fair to our team just to say, ‘He’s back — here we go.’ It’s not that easy.”
Green’s final waiver application was denied on Nov. 30, seemingly ending his chances of playing this season. URI throttled back his practice time and started to focus on building him up for the 2024-25 campaign. Green appeared in just six games with the Bulldogs last year while battling ankle and thumb injuries.
“There are so many guys you didn’t deal with in the springtime because they weren’t going to play,” Miller said. “As we were trying to rebuild our program and add bodies, we couldn’t take guys who weren’t going to play. David was a one-off in terms of being able to make that decision — whether it was long term or short term.
“We also felt like in taking him that he also had a heck of a presentation in terms of why he should be eligible. There was a 50-50 there and we were OK with it. But you open up a whole new pool of people if you can dive into that fold and bring guys in on a twotime transfer waiver. There are a lot of guys who are probably at a lot of different places right now sitting who we never even broached the topic of conversation because of a two-time transfer. They wouldn’t be eligible to help us.”
The Rams looked for quick solutions in the transfer portal after staggering through a 9-22 season last year. Zek Montgomery (Bradley), Luis Kortright (Quinnipiac) and Jaden House
(High Point) have each started the first 10 games. In terms of ability level, Green likely would have joined them — he pumped in 26 points in October’s preseason Blue-White scrimmage, closing 10-for-17 from the field.
“I think the thing that’s really unfortunate is everybody looks to pile on the NCAA all the time,” Miller said. “They shouldn’t be in the waiver process, but they were really honoring the membership’s recommendations.
“This is collegiate presidents, boards — thousands of people who offered a lot of information over time on this transfer thing. If they’re going to say you can transfer one time without penalty, great. It doesn’t really matter what your circumstances are after a second time — you sit. You get mentally ready to go or physically ready to go. Whatever it may be in that year, you get yourself ready to go.
“But there are no waivers. It’s cut and dried. And when they opened up the waiver process for certain criteria, a lot of people kind of want to dive into that field and expand on their situation. It’s unfortunate.”
URI (5-5) has dropped three straight entering its matchup with the Blue Hens. Last time out, it was an 85-70 loss at Charleston, an expected Coastal Athletic Association title rival with Delaware as the season extends toward March. Providence transfer Jyare Davis has developed into a star for the Blue Hens after redshirting the 2020-21 season with the Friars.
The Rams could have Brandon Weston (personal) available to return Saturday. David Fuchs (concussion protocol) hasn’t practiced in nearly a week and is unlikely to be in uniform. Always Wright is coming off his first backcourt start and Green could have joined him on the floor at UBS Arena had circumstances been different from the outset of the year.
“Every university that’s part of the NCAA agrees to this and moves forward with this,” Miller said. “We want onetime transfers only. The problem is the waiver. If there is no waiver, there is no problem.”