Dusty May reacts to Puff Johnson playing for Ohio State amid eligibility controversies

Eligibility is the topic of college basketball in 2026. For Ohio State‘s Puff Johnson, a recent legal win has granted him eligibility to play a sixth season of college basketball.

After defeating the Buckeyes 74-62 on Friday night, Michigan head coach Dusty May spoke to media about the eligibility epidemic currently facing college basketball. Amid several controversies facing the sport, May spoke at length about the situation.

“I can’t imagine any scenario other than an emergency situation that we would do it, but that’s kind of where we are,” May said. “I mean, I think when coaches take a hard stance, and then circumstances force them to change their minds, then they look like hypocrites. And that’s something that I don’t really want to do.

“But I don’t have a strong opinion on it. We’re not doing it, and that’s all we can really control are the decisions that we make when the courts come out and say everything that we’ve been doing is illegal. I’m also not gonna sit here and say we need to do this and do that.”

In several cases, players from Euro leagues or those who had originally bypassed college to turn pro immediately have been granted eligibility. For Alabama‘s Charles Bediako, he played in college, turned pro and just scored 13 points on Saturday for the Crimson Tide. He was granted immediate eligibility after obtaining temporary restraining order against the NCAA.

For Johnson – he played five years of college basketball – three at North Carolina from 2020-23 and two at Penn State from 2023-25 before transferring to Ohio State this offseason.

Because he played in 2020-21, Johnson had a “COVID year,” which is how he got a fifth season. But Ohio State applied for a medical hardship waiver in Summer 2025 after he transferred, citing injuries sustained in 2024-25 at Penn State after starting in 17 games. The NCAA denied the waiver because Johnson played in more than 30% of the regular-season games.

Now, a state judge in the court of common pleas in Franklin County, Ohio, granted the TRO on refiling on Jan. 15. The judge’s order allows him to play ahead of a hearing scheduled for Jan. 30, similar to Bediako.

“If someone adds a player, then that’s their right as the coach or the administration, whatever. I’m just not up here to judge everyone else,” May said. “So, I think coach (Jake) Diebler’s a very good basketball coach. I think they had a great plan. I think they’re an NCAA tournament team, and they’re gonna win a lot of games.”

Michigan and Ohio State will play one more time this season, which is set for Feb. 8. That game will be played in Columbus after the Wolverines won in Ann Arbor on Friday.