NCAA says Olivier Sarr can play for Kentucky this season, but there’s a catch
The NCAA said Olivier Sarr is eligible to play for Kentucky basketball this season but there’s a catch before the Wake Forest transfer can hit the court.
John Calipari has a team that could compete for the SEC championship and make it back to the Final Four, provided Wake Forest transfer Olivier Sarr is allowed to play.
Sarr could help Kentucky basketball be one of the top teams in the nation if he’s allowed back on the court, but his ability to get to the court has been made complicated in an already complicated year.
According to Dick Vitale and confirmed by Kyle Tucker of Kentucky Sports Radio, the NCAA has ruled Sarr eligible to play for the Kentucky Wildcats this season without having to sit out a season due to transfer rules.
However, there’s still one more hurdle to clear and one more box to check before Sarr can actually play.
The NCAA has cleared Olivier Sarr to play for Kentucky basketball this season but the Wake Forest transfer still has one more hurdle to clear before hitting the court for the Wildcats
The SEC still needs to clear Sarr for play because of a league rule that says non-graduate transfers with fewer than two years of eligibility need to get a waiver from the SEC.
BBN FYI the @NCAA has cleared OLIVIER SARR about 2 months ago to be eligible to play but the holdup is that the @SEC must grant a waiver due to a rule they have that states if a player that transfers has 1 yr of eligibility he must sit out . However the SEC can grant a waiver .
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) September 23, 2020
A similar situation is affecting Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays who has been cleared to play by the NCAA but the Georgia transfer is still awaiting clearance by the SEC. Considering the Vols begin their football season on Saturday and the league has yet to act is puzzling.
In the case of Sarr, time is still on his side with the college basketball season scheduled to begin on Nov. 25, but the earlier Kentucky basketball and Sarr can move on from this headache will be beneficial for all parties involved.
Sarr was arguably the top transfer on the market after averaging 13.7 points, 9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game as a junior last season at Wake Forest.
The 7-foot center should be cleared to play for Kentucky basketball and help them in their pursuit to add another banner to Rupp Arena, but the final decision rests with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
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