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At Providence College, the absence of news on the eligibility front for three key players was palpable. Head coach Bryan Hodgson devoted over five minutes to discussing the situations of Dink Pate, Joseph Pinion, and Derek Simpson during his media session on Tuesday at the Ruane Friar Development Center.
None of the three will suit up for the Providence men's closed scrimmage against Boston College this weekend. Their availability for exhibition contests against Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech is uncertain, and even the season opener versus Maine in early November is not assured.
When Hodgson finished his opening remarks and invited questions, a hush fell over the room. The silence reflected both the complexity of predicting NCAA or court rulings and the lack of game footage to evaluate a roster filled with new faces.
"Guys are healthy," Hodgson said. "We're in a good spot. We've got to get a lot better before we play on Nov. 2, but that's what these weekends are for."
Pate continues to exchange paperwork with the NCAA in hopes of gaining clearance for his college debut. After three years in the NBA G League, he declined multiple NBA contract offers to pursue college basketball. His commitment to the Friars caused a national stir during the offseason, but whether he ever plays remains uncertain.
"I've seen, 'Why hasn't Dink Pate sued the NCAA? Why hasn't he sought an injunction yet?'" Hodgson said. "There are things that need to happen before that's even an option. Those things are not completely finalized yet. Those things are in the hands of the NCAA. They've got to turn those around. It's been an ongoing process for several weeks."
Pinion and Simpson each require an additional year of eligibility after playing at South Florida and Saint Joseph's, respectively, in 2025-26. The NCAA introduced new bylaws for the 2026-27 academic year that removed medical and hardship waivers, instead adopting a 5-in-5 eligibility model starting with the Class of 2023. Providence is looking to add veteran depth at wing and point guard.
"When I say they're in the legal process—they're having those conversations," Hodgson said. "I think we'll hear on that in the next couple of days."
Florida Atlantic transfer Devin Vanterpool will captain the Friars against the Eagles, a former Big East rival now coached by ex-Rhode Island and Connecticut assistant Luke Murray. Vanterpool, expected to provide backcourt scoring after starting every game for the Owls last season, has displayed the professionalism of a player whose father, David, is an assistant with the Washington Wizards.
"He's about the right stuff," Hodgson said. "He does what we ask of him every single day on and off the floor."
Hodgson has some early rotation ideas but will use the three competitive outings to test them further. The Friars will likely use a center-by-committee approach with Arrinten Page and Samson Aletan sharing most minutes, and Jacob Bannarbie potentially stepping in for a smaller lineup. Providence will rely heavily on the guards and wings they recruited from the transfer portal and the spring reclassification market.
"They're all similar enough that we get what we need from each of them," Hodgson said. "The only difference—the outlier that maybe separates one from the other—is Arrinten's ability to shoot the three-ball."
Miles Byrd was named to the all-conference second team at media day last week and is expected to be a major contributor. How the Friars integrate all the pieces could be on display against the Panthers, another former league foe now in the ACC. They'll continue to refine details ahead of the real season start against the Black Bears.
"Our guys need to go against somebody else," Hodgson said. "This time of year, you get a little bit tired of the mundane and beating up on each other. Looking forward to the opportunity to face somebody else and be challenged against a Boston College team that has a lot of new faces and a great coach leading that program. We'll learn a little bit more about ourselves."
Originally reported by yahoo.