BREAKING: NCAA denies Dawson Garcia’s request for one more year; legal action possible

Dawson Garcia has entered the transfer portal, but his attempt to gain another year of eligibility was denied by the NCAA. Though his freshman year at Marquette didn’t count due to the pandemic, Garcia is seeking a waiver for his shortened sophomore season at North Carolina, which was cut short after he left the program in January 2022 to return home to Minnesota for family health reasons.

Garcia’s attorney, Darren Heitner, said the NCAA has denied both the original request and the appeal. Heitner is now pursuing every available option with the NCAA and is prepared to take legal action if necessary. He criticized the NCAA for inconsistent application of eligibility waivers, stating on X that the organization grants waivers to some athletes while denying others in similar circumstances.

Garcia, a standout forward for the Minnesota Gophers, averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds this past season. Despite playing five years of Division I basketball, he would need a special exemption to return in 2025–26. News of his entry into the portal suggests he’s keeping the door open for another college season if professional opportunities like the NBA don’t materialize.

Garcia started his college career at Marquette before transferring to North Carolina, then eventually returning home to Minnesota, where he played the last three seasons. If granted the exemption, he would be one of the top players in the portal and could command NIL deals exceeding $1 million. Reports say he is still open to returning to Minnesota, though his transfer gives him flexibility.

College hoops insider Jeff Goodman weighed in with a simple message: “It’s time,” hinting Garcia should consider moving on. Still, Garcia’s 132 career games aren’t unusual — former Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon set the record with 179 games over six seasons thanks to NCAA waivers.