After many rumors surrounding former Wisconsin Badger guard Braeden Carrington’s search for another year of eligibility, the 22-year-old guard has finally taken the first step in doing so. It was announced early Friday morning that Carrington, along with more than 45 other athletes, had officially joined an injunction filed by a group of 2022 high school recruits seeking a fifth year of eligibility.
Not shocking as it has been alluded to a little bit of late, but Braeden Carrington featured here #Badgers https://t.co/wafEeJiJZ5
— Nick Osen (@TheRealNickOsen) July 17, 2026
This injunction came on the heels of the new five-in-five rule put in place by the NCAA that gives incoming athletes five years to play five seasons of any given sport. This, of course, left the class of 2022 feeling like the odd ones out, as just by luck of birth year, or lack thereof, they were left out of the chance to play five seasons, resulting in this push for an extra year.
Although the NCAA has already stated that it won't be grandfathering in the class of 2022, there have already been lawsuits won by athletes from the class, granting them an extra year of eligibility.
Along with that, the Wisconsin program seems confident that Carrington will be able to return for the 2026-27 season. He was recently spotted at a Badgers practice this past Tuesday, getting shots up in the facility and working with the coaches, and Wisconsin still has an open roster spot as it stands.
Head coach Greg Gard was, of course, asked for an update on Carrington’s status and seemed somewhat out of the loop. He called it a "wait-and-see process" regarding what Carrington’s next steps would be, but said he should know more by the end of the month.
Before anyone gets too excited about this, it's not like Braeden can say "I'm back" and he's on the roster. A desire to seek an additional season of eligibility is just the start of a complicated process with a lot of unknowns.
— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) July 14, 2026
Full comments from Gard on where Carrington's at. https://t.co/qpUI3SKW6B pic.twitter.com/2vsgnbUUJY
It is worth noting that he said all of this prior to it being announced that Carrington had, in fact, joined the injunction, which kick-started the process of him gaining extra eligibility. It obviously doesn't change Carrington’s current status with the team, but at the very least, things are moving in the right direction.
If Carrington were to be granted the extra year of eligibility, he would bring immense value to Wisconsin, who is in search of depth, particularly in the backcourt. Last season, he was one of the best bench shooters in the country, knocking down 40.1% of his outside looks on just over 16 three-point attempts per 100 possessions.
Carrington even broke Wisconsin’s single-game three-point record with nine in a 32-point outing versus Washington, highlighting just how lethal he was from beyond the arc. His return would obviously bring value to the program, even if his exact role remains unclear.
Nonetheless, this is a situation Badger fans should monitor over the coming months, as there is a good chance a familiar face could be coming back for one last hurrah.
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