NCAA denies Aly Khalifa's eligibility request at Louisville

Dreams of Mark Pope coaching against his former passing sensation at BYU in the Kentucky vs. Louisville rivalry next season have been put on hold. Aly Khalifa, who redshirted in 2024-25 after undergoing knee surgery last spring, has been declared ineligible by the NCAA as he looks for one final season of eligibility.

The hope was for the former Cougar under Pope — who started his career with the Charlotte 49ers — to use the time off to get back to full strength and cut weight ahead of 2025-26, a successful mission after losing 50 pounds and getting cleared for practice in January.

For now, the NCAA is saying to hell with that mission.

The University of Louisville released a statement on Khalifa being declared ineligible, adding that the school is appealing the decision and believes it has a strong case as it fights for the 6-11 center’s right to play.

“University of Louisville men’s basketball student-athlete Aly Khalifa’s request for an extension of his five-year clock that would allow him to utilize his fourth and final season of eligibility was denied by the NCAA,” they said. “The University of Louisville is appealing that decision and believes that Aly has a strong case that warrants an additional year. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Aly continues to work towards a master’s degree at the University while preparing for the 2025-26 basketball season.”

Here is the issue: Khalifa played just three combined seasons at Charlotte (2021-23) and BYU (2023-24), but he’s been in school for five years, graduating from the NBA Global Academy in 2020 and redshirting his first year at Charlotte in 2020-21. Sitting out the 2024-25 season would have to be a medical redshirt, something that can’t be approved until his eligibility clock is extended from five years to six — that part denied by the NCAA. He did not meet qualifications for a COVID-19 redshirt his first season in college, and now, they’re saying his five years to play four are now over.

Fortunately for Khalifa and Louisville, the NCAA is pretty good at losing to lawyers right now and it’s pretty hard to justify giving him the boot when there are other players on their second marriages with kids still competing. The era of super seniors is over, but it’s a tough PR hit to let 27-year-olds play for the last half-decade and then draw a line in the sand on Khalifa.

That’s what we’re rooting for, too. No excuses on November 11 when Pope vs. Kelsey Vol. 2 tips off inside the KFC Yum! Center.

Do the right thing and clear him, NCAA. He needs to experience Brandon Garrison time for himself.

Aly Khalifa highlights pic.twitter.com/UL8Tf3w8PR

— Rare Rookies #BBN (@rarerookies) December 15, 2024