RJ Godfrey signs with Arizona, expected to be Wildcats’ starting power forward

Former Clemson power forward RJ Godfrey has signed with Arizona, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, providing long-awaited relief for the Wildcats who spent months searching for an impact player to anchor the four spot.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pound forward arrives in Tucson as the elusive answer to what had become something of a white whale for Tommy Lloyd and his staff throughout the offseason.

After playing four seasons, Godfrey, 23, sued the NCAA on July 9 seeking a fifth year of eligibility as part of the group lawsuit involving 15 other Division I college basketball players whose eligibility ran out after this past season.

In the complaint, Godfrey and the 15 other players argued that the NCAA “unfairly” restricted the number of games athletes could play during their five-year eligibility window, ultimately “unjustifiably” restraining their earning potential through NIL.

The group sought immediate injunctive relief to execute scholarships, revenue-sharing agreements and third-party NIL deals for the 2026–27 season. The lawsuit mentioned the University of Oklahoma, University of Arkansas and LSU all expressed interest in Godfrey.

The legal pressure came on the heels of the NCAA updating its eligibility model on June 23, replacing the traditional five-year clock to play four seasons with a blanket five years of total competition, effectively eliminating traditional redshirts and limiting future waivers strictly to pregnancy, military service or religious missions.

Godfrey began his collegiate career at Clemson, where he played for two seasons and made one start over 69 games. He transferred to Georgia ahead of the 2024-25 season and started all 33 games as a junior for the Bulldogs. He averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. He then transferred back to Clemson, where he led the team in scoring at 12.0 points per game this past season. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

Godfrey worked out for the Golden State Warriors prior to this summer’s NBA Draft but wasn’t selected or signed to an undrafted free-agent contract.

Godfrey and Clemson defeated Arizona in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. The forward had seven points, one rebound and four personal fouls in 11 minutes.

RJ Godfrey answers Arizona’s need at power forward

Arizona’s search for a power forward unfolded over the better part of the past year and featured a series of near misses in both high school recruiting and the transfer portal.

The setbacks began last November when the Wildcats fell short in their pursuit of five-star in-state standout Cameron Williams. The Phoenix Saint Mary’s product, ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect and the No. 1 power forward in the class, ultimately chose Duke over Arizona and Texas.

Arizona’s power forward misfortune continued in the transfer portal when former Kansas forward Bryson Tiller canceled his scheduled visit to Tucson the night before he was set to arrive, then committed to Missouri just two days later.

The Wildcats’ options narrowed even further when Koa Peat, a key contributor during Arizona’s recent Final Four run, elected to remain in the NBA Draft rather than return to school. Days later, another one of Arizona’s targets came off the board as former Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic committed to Kentucky over Arizona and Louisville.

The setbacks persisted when five-star power forward Marcus Spears Jr. committed to Texas. The 6-foot-10 phenom, the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2027, announced his decision to reclassify into the 2026 class and play for Sean Miller this upcoming season, choosing the Longhorns over a hard-charging pursuit by the Wildcats.

Arizona had positioned themselves well, even hosting Spears for an official visit in late June. However, the pull of staying in his home state proved too strong for Spears.

The Wildcats have also been linked to Danish power forward Bakary Dibba, who reportedly accepted an NIL package from an undisclosed school worth more than $1 million, according to Spanish newspaper El Progreso. 

Though it is uncertain if Dibba will receive clearance from the NCAA’s standard eligibility process, where decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Dibba most recently played for CB Breogán in Spain’s Liga ACB, widely regarded as the world’s best domestic professional basketball league after the NBA.

The Copenhagen native, who turns 25 before the start of the season, made his debut in Denmark’s top professional league as a 19-year-old before spending four seasons developing in Germany.

Spanish journalist Olga Lorente reported, “There are players who seemed like they were heading to the NCAA, but bureaucratic issues might cause them to stay (in the ACB league).”

While playing in an overseas professional league doesn’t automatically trigger NCAA disqualification, the rules hinge on a strict financial ceiling. According to NCAA bylaws, international athletes are only permitted to receive compensation that covers “actual and necessary expenses.”

However, enforcement has tightened considerably. The NCAA issued updated guidance to member schools in May via a memo, explicitly warning that any athlete who “entered an agreement with, competed on or received compensation from a team that participates in a league with minimum compensation that exceeds actual and necessary expenses” would not be eligible to play collegiately.

The NCAA avoids attaching an exact dollar figure to what qualifies as an allowable expense, but the EuroLeague mandates a minimum salary equivalent to roughly $58,000.

Godfrey is expected to slide into Arizona’s starting lineup, while 18-year-old Montenegrin Maksim Brnović figures to be a depth piece at the power forward position for the Wildcats.

Potential Arizona men’s basketball lineup

PG: Derek Dixon (North Carolina transfer)

SG: Caleb Holt (five-star freshman)

SF: Ivan Kharchenkov (returnee)

PF: RJ Godfrey (Clemson transfer)

C: Motiejus Krivas (returnee)

Bench:

G: Cameron Holmes (four-star freshman), JJ Mandaquit (Washington transfer), Bryce James (returnee)

F: Maksim Brnović (Montenegro), Ugnius Jarusevicius (Nebraska transfer), Endurance Aiyamenkhue (Netherlands)

C: Evan Otten (Idaho State transfer), Mabil Mawut (returnee)

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