Grand Canyon senior Tyon Grant-Foster announced his commitment to Gonzaga on Wednesday morning, posting an image of himself in a Bulldogs uniform on social media. The 6-foot-7 wing, who averaged 20.1 points per game during the 2023-24 season, will need a waiver from the NCAA to play in 2025-26.
The 25-year-old would be entering his seventh year of college basketball, having previously spent time at Indian Hills Community College, Kansas, DePaul, and Grand Canyon. His addition could help offset Gonzaga’s recent backcourt departures, including Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, and Khalif Battle.
Tyon Grant-Foster’s NCAA eligibility depends on a waiver
While Grant-Foster’s talent and impact are well-established, his eligibility status remains uncertain.
Under standard NCAA rules, athletes have five years to complete four seasons of competition. Grant-Foster’s path includes two junior college seasons, one season each at Kansas and Grand Canyon, and three seasons at DePaul and again at Grand Canyon, complicated by significant medical hardship.
Tyon is still awaiting a waiver from the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 28, 2025
In the 2021-22 season opener for DePaul, Grant-Foster collapsed in the locker room at halftime. He was rushed to the hospital, where his heart had to be shocked back into rhythm three times. He subsequently underwent two heart surgeries and was advised to end his basketball career.
Grant-Foster missed the entire 2022-23 season before making a full return in 2023-24, when he played all 34 games and led the WAC in scoring. He followed up this past season with 26 more appearances despite battling a lower-body injury.
Due to the severity of his medical condition and the time lost, he is seeking an NCAA waiver for an additional year of eligibility — his fifth at the Division I level. Such waivers are typically considered under medical hardship guidelines, where athletes must demonstrate that circumstances beyond their control prevented them from participating.
Grant-Foster’s commitment has sparked widespread discussion across the college basketball community, with many fans and analysts raising questions about his age, eligibility timeline, and whether the NCAA will approve his waiver for a seventh collegiate season.
Following Grant-Foster’s announcement, many college basketball community fans were led by his remaining eligibility for another season.
“How does he still have eligibility,” one fan tweeted. Other fans echoed this confusion.
Gonzaga is awaiting an NCAA decision
Grant-Foster has already tested the NBA Draft waters and attended the NBA Combine, but chose to return to college. If he brings veteran leadership, scoring ability, and defensive length to Gonzaga’s wing rotation.
KEEP READING: PJ Haggerty Snubbing Penny Hardaway for Kanas State Points to Much Larger Problem for Memphis, Says Top Analyst
He is the third transfer addition to Mark Few’s 2025-26 roster, joining Arizona State’s Adam Miller and Virginia’s Jalen Warley.
The NCAA has not yet issued a public ruling on Grant-Foster’s waiver request. The timeline for such decisions varies case by case. Until then, Gonzaga and college basketball fans alike await a final decision on whether the 25-year-old will be cleared to compete one more time.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
