Former ISU player Tamin Lipsey joins lawsuit against NCAA seeking 5th year of eligibility

AMES, Iowa (KCRG) - Former Iowa State basketball star Tamin Lipsey is joining a class-action lawsuit, hoping to play another season for the Cyclones.

Lipsey is among dozens of athletes from the high school class of 2022 who are suing the NCAA.

It’s over the NCAA’s new “five-for-five” rule that gives college athletes five years to compete across five seasons.

However, that extra eligibility was not extended to the class of 2022, until a judge issued an injunction to include them.

Lipsey played four seasons at ISU averaging 11 points per game.

In the lawsuit filed Monday, he says he plans to return to the Cyclones for the 2026-27 season if he wins his eligibility.

Lipsey was not picked in the NBA Draft, but did play briefly for the Indiana Pacers’ summer league team.

Tamin Lipsey is not the only player with Iowa ties that’s joined the class-action case.

Trey Lewis, who played basketball this past season at Upper Iowa, is also hoping for a fifth year of eligibility.

Lewis spent one of his four years of college playing for Des Moines Area Community College.

He argues if the NCAA treated junior college like it does pro basketball, he would already be eligible to play this season.