In preparation for the Summer League, the Detroit Pistons put together a roster consisting of draft picks, G-Leaguers, still-blossoming pro role players and fringe NBA contributors to take part in the five-game exhibition series. Former Michigan wing Roddy Gayle Jr. was included in Detroit's Summer League roster after signing on with the Pistons as an undrafted free agent shortly after the draft, and he acquitted himself well during his brief stint out in Las Vegas.
In two straight Summer League contests, Gayle let the game come to him, took smart shots and went 4-for-4 from the field coming off the bench for the Pistons in a reserve role. Gayle did not look out of place in the slightest, but Detroit stumbled with a 1-4 record during the summertime matchups.
Not long after Gayle's introduction to the pro level, a Colorado court ruled that players from the 2022 recruiting class would be eligible to return for a fifth year of college sports. Gayle, who looked to have an outside shot to make the Pistons out of training camp, quickly rejoined his former squad and traveled with the Michigan basketball team for their pre-season slate over in Europe.
In short order, a litany of other fringe NBA and NFL rookies declared their intentions to return to the collegiate realm, a group which included Corey Stephenson and Jaden Henley, who both played for the Pistons in the Summer League. This growing trend forced the topic of eligibility to be reexamined at the conference level, and the SEC quickly announced that it banned football or basketball players from returning to school after appearing on a professional roster. As for Gayle's case, the Big Ten adopted a similar policy for football, though it is rumored that an extension to cover additional sports is soon to come.
Furthermore, the NCAA is appealing the ruling from the pertinent Colorado court decision which would impact the 2022 recruiting class, so Gayle opted to file a lawsuit against the NCAA within the last several days to preserve his potential opportunity to play at Michigan once again. Since Gayle is originally from New York, that's the jurisdiction where his lawsuit against the NCAA was filed, and there's already been a positive development in the case that bodes well for the former Pistons Summer Leaguer.
Yesterday, Gayle was granted a Temporary Restraining Order that would allow for the undrafted wing to return to practice with Michigan as they prepare for their upcoming season. But in terms of Gayle's eligibility from an official standpoint, the date for a preliminary injunction hearing is set for Sept. 17. If Gayle receives a favorable outcome a couple weeks from now, then he could be cleared to return to the Michigan squad in full, though the NCAA still has the right to appeal the ruling further down the road.
If Gayle is not permitted to continue his return to college, there is a possibility that he latches on with the Motor City Cruise in the G-League after his strong Summer League performance, but roster spots are limited at that level as well.
