It seemed as if Donovan Dent’s college basketball career was set to come to a close with the UCLA Bruins this past season, with Dent and the Bruins getting bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by the UConn Huskies.
A judge’s ruling on Friday granted the high school class of 2022 an additional season of eligibility if the athletes have exhausted four years of eligibility entering the 2026-2027 season. That means that Dent can have one more season of college basketball before deciding to retire for a second time.
On3 Sports reported that Dent entered the transfer portal on Friday following the news. Dent is carrying a ‘Do Not Contact’ tag in the portal, meaning Dent’s mind is already made up. All signs point towards the Southern California native heading north to join the Gonzaga Bulldogs, with Mark Few putting together a very compelling roster in Spokane, Washington.
Even before adding Dent, Gonzaga has the 18th best odds at a national title according to DraftKings. Dent could join a roster that features Isaiah Harwell, Massamba Diop, Davis Fogle and Braden Huff.
Dent spent just one season with UCLA after beginning his college career with New Mexico. As a Bruin, Dent played in 35 games, averaging 13.3 points, 7.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Dent’s efficiency left some room for improvement, shooting just 41% from the field and 25% from three.
This offseason Dent has already retired and sued the NCAA. After Friday’s ruling the need for both the retirement and lawsuit are gone, as Dent will have another bite at the apple this fall, likely with Gonzaga.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Donovan Dent enters transfer portal with a ‘Do Not Contact’ tag
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire | USA TODAY Network
