Florida 'Ready to Take Legal Action' in Denzel Aberdeen's Eligibility Fight
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- In the wake of the NCAA's groundbreaking "five-for-five" eligibility ruling, which allows student-athletes up to five years of play without redshirting, the Florida Gators are taking its next steps in guard Denzel Aberdeen's fight for a fifth year.
The NCAA's new rules include clauses that do not retroactively give graduating seniors a fifth year of eligibility and that the NCAA will not approve waivers that request a fifth year, which would make Aberdeen ineligible for the 2026-27 season.
As a result, head coach Todd Golden said Aberdeen is meeting with his legal representation this week to officially begin the waiver process. He also said that Florida is "ready to take legal action" if Aberdeen's waiver is ultimately denied.
"Our hope is that there's some common sense that comes into play before that, and they look at a guy that's 22 years old - so, way younger than a lot of these guys that are still playing in college - that, again, is back working for his undergraduate degree within his five-year clock," Golden said in an interview with On3's Joe Tipton. "There's a lot of things that are going his way. So, we'll do what we need to do to make sure he's supported properly."
If Denzel Aberdeen's waiver for an additional year of eligibility is denied, Todd Golden says they're prepared to move forward with legal action.https://t.co/tlznuBgvsThttps://t.co/OZfhHicJEjpic.twitter.com/VIPgWhU4TE
- Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) June 28, 2026
Aberdeen spent three seasons at Florida before spending last season at Kentucky without redshirting in any season. The exhaustion of his eligibility under the previous rules disqualifies him from a fifth year under the new rules. That said, Florida remains confident due to the inconsistencies under the previous rules.
Both Golden and athletic director Scott Stricklin have pointed to basketball not having similar redshirt rules to football, which allows players to play in up to four regular-season games and the entire postseason without using a year of eligibility. Aberdeen played in 40.8 minutes as a true freshman during the 2022-23 season, including eight minutes in the postseason.
Stricklin also said Florida would support whatever decision Aberdeen makes, including taking legal action, if his waiver his denied.
"I think the unique circumstances of Denzel's case, considering he's coming back to a place he started to get his degree, I think the right thing to do is to let him have that year," Stricklin said. "If he gets denied, I don't know what decision Denzel will make, but I think we would support whatever decision, whatever path he wanted to attempt.
"I do think the right thing to do is, if we're going to go to a five-for-five, and given the variety of standards we've had up to this point, it makes sense to give that kid that year."
Abereen is expected to start for Florida next season should he be approved, joining four returning starters in guard Boogie Fland, wing Thomas Haugh, forward Alex Condon and center Rueben Chinyelu. He averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game last season while starting 35 out of 36 games for Kentucky.
Florida opens the season on Nov. 2 in Tampa against Miami.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/florida as Florida 'Ready to Take Legal Action' in Denzel Aberdeen's Eligibility Fight.
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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 6:46 PM.