The formerWisconsin men's basketballguard was among the athletes who were granted a temporary restraining order Aug. 18 as part of a lawsuit seeking another year of eligibility for Carrington and others in his class.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Carrington had been one of 70-plus athletes who pursued legal action in California following the NCAA's implementation of a five-in-five eligibility model that did not benefit players who exhausted their four years of eligibility in 2025-26.
Mit Winter – a Kansas City-based attorney at Kennyhertz Perry LLC whose practice areas include college athletics – told the Journal Sentinel there is "still some more legal wrangling to go" before knowing with 100% certainty whether Carrington can play in 2026-27.
For now, though, it clears the way for Carrington and others to play a fifth year of college basketball. A hearing to consider a preliminary injunction is scheduled for Aug. 25, which could either reaffirm or reverse the decision made with the temporary restraining order.
"The fact that the court granted the TRO means it's probably likely it's also going to grant a preliminary injunction because it's basically the same factors that the court's going to be looking at," Winter said. "So if they thought the factors weighing in favor of a TRO are there, they're probably going to say the same factors weigh in favor of granting a preliminary injunction as well."
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Head coach Greg Gard of the Wisconsin Badgers walks on court before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: High Point Panthers fans are seen before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleadrs perform prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans in the stands prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers warm up before taking on the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The High Point Panthers Athletic Band perform before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers Marching Band performs before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)
1/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
1/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
2/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
3/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Head coach Greg Gard of the Wisconsin Badgers walks on court before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
4/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
5/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: High Point Panthers fans are seen before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
6/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleadrs perform prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
7/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans in the stands prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)
8/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers warm up before taking on the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
9/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The High Point Panthers Athletic Band perform before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
10/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers Marching Band performs before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
11/11
Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
"Who knows what would happen there?" Winter said. "Obviously yesterday they were able to get an appeals court to stay a preliminary injunction that was granted in one of these cases in Ohio. So it's possible that could happen in California as well, but not guaranteed by any means."
Wisconsin guard Braeden Carrington (0) drives past Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) during the first half of their game Friday, February 13, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
In the meantime, Carrington does not necessarily have to stay in Madison for his fifth year of college basketball. The temporary restraining order instructs the NCAA to open the transfer portal for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit from Aug. 17 through Aug. 24.
But Carrington has spent much of his summer in Madison and was on the floor with the 2026-27 team during the two summer practices that were open to the media.
The 6-foot-4 Carrington averaged 8.3 points and provided a valuable spark off the bench in his lone season with theBadgersin 2025-26. He spent his first two years at Minnesota before transferring to Tulsa for his junior year and then UW for his senior year.
