Babacar Sane will be allowed to play in St. John’s Red Storm’s opening games despite his eligibility case remaining unresolved. The Queens County Supreme Court did not reach a decision on Monday afternoon and scheduled a second hearing for November 9.
Sane holds a temporary restraining order that keeps him eligible until the court delivers a final ruling. This means he can participate in the Red Storm’s three preseason exhibition matches against Drexel, Rutgers, and Texas, as well as the first two regular-season games versus Monmouth and Iona.
The eligibility dispute centers on the NCAA’s challenge to Sane’s status after he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz in 2024. According to Zach Braziller, the NCAA’s entire argument focuses on that contract. Sane’s lawyers countered that he never practiced or played under the deal, nor did he attend any NBA training camp. They also pointed out the NCAA had cleared other professional players who earned more than Sane, including former G-League players and international pros such as London Johnson, Thierry Darlan, and James Nnaji.
Sane’s legal team filed a complaint and summons against the NCAA in September, arguing that his professional experience is “materially indistinguishable” from those players. The case remains open with no final ruling in sight.
The 23-year-old forward from Senegal signed with St. John’s in May after five years in the NBA G-League and various professional leagues in Europe and Africa. Most recently, he played for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany’s top division. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 9.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, shooting 46.7% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range.
Over the weekend, head coach Rick Pitino named Sane co-captain of the Red Storm alongside Ian Jackson. This decision came as the eligibility dispute continued to unfold.
St. John’s also faces an eligibility hearing for Auburn transfer Keyshawn Hall, whose case is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Like Sane, Hall was granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to remain eligible until the court rules. Two other St. John’s players in eligibility limbo, Quinn Ellis and Reed Bailey, have not yet been scheduled for court hearings.
The court’s next steps will determine whether Sane and Hall can maintain uninterrupted playing time through the early part of the season. For now, both remain cleared to suit up while their cases proceed.
According to Yahoo Sports.
