Utah basketball guard Noam Yaacov ruled ineligible by NCAA

by August 26, 2026

written by August 26, 2026

Noam Yaacov was expected to turn heads during his first year with the Utah Utes. But his time in college basketball will have to wait.

Utah announced on Monday that Yaacov is now ineligible, after his NCAA waiver was appealed and denied. Utes basketball coach Alex confirmed the details. This was a blow for Utah, who viewed Yaacov as a starter going into the season. Now he’ll be playing elsewhere. The International guard worked extensively with Utah through the eligibility process after signing back in June. But they were ultimately unable to secure his clearance to compete in games. The NCAA’s decision is not immediately clear.

What’s Utah’s contingency plan without Yaacov? Utah is focusing on former Northern Iowa guard Trey Campbell, who will likely be the next man up.

Campbell is the best fit on the roster. The fifth-year guard averaged 13.7 points, 3.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals last season at Northern Iowa while starting all 36 games. He earned second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was selected to the league’s All-Defensive Team. He led the Panthers to their first NCAA tournament in a decade, being named the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

After a brief stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves during NBA Summer League play, Campbell’s path to Utah came through a court ruling. He committed to the Utes following a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in Colorado, who granted fifth-year eligibility for athletes from the 2022 high school recruiting class. That ruling allowed many former college athletes to return. But the situation hasn’t been finalized yet.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit granted the NCAA’s request to stay that injunction while its appeal continues. This was one instance of several cases nationwide with different outcomes. The stay temporarily removed the class-wide protection those athletes had received. So Campbell isn’t in the clear yet. He is currently mulling his options about regaining eligibility for the 2026-27 season. This will be a difficult process.

If Campbell is cleared, Utah gains an experienced player who can be a leader on the floor. He has four full seasons at a lower level of competition with all-conference honors. Jensen would gain another player capable of handling things on both ends of the floor. The uncertainty surrounding both Yaacov and Campbell also places additional importance on Utah to find depth.

What’s next for Yaacov in his basketball journey? He’ll likely pursue another high-level basketball opportunity. Another professional stint overseas or the NBA G League will be the top destinations. He has already established himself as an up-and-coming guard and could get called up to the NBA one day.