Gonzaga’s Mark Few delivers strong statement in wake of NCAA’s Tyon Grant-Foster verdict: ‘They’re just wrong on this one.’

Mark Few contributed a written statement to the lawsuit filed by Tyon Grant-Foster, who continues to seek an additional year of eligibility after the NCAA denied the player’s appeal last Friday – the latest development in a waiver saga involving the Grand Canyon transfer dating back to early June.

The Gonzaga coach advocated for Grant-Foster once again on Sunday afternoon, delivering a strongly worded statement in support of his player after the team’s exhibition game against Northwest University.

“It’s just been a really, really tough deal,” Few opened. “He’s an incredible guy, he’s got an incredible story. I’ve been now coaching college for 37 years and I’ve seen a lot of these situations and a lot of these waivers have went through. I know it’s a hard situation for the NCAA, with all these waivers that happen to be out here. But I’ve never seen one as unique as this.”

The NCAA verbally communicated to Gonzaga late Friday afternoon it denied Grant-Foster’s appeal, which came after it denied an original waiver request in June and a request for reconsideration in September.

In denying the appeal, the NCAA also revoked the practice waiver given to Grant-Foster two weeks ago, allowing the 25-year-old to practice with his Gonzaga teammates while continuing to review his case.

Grant-Foster didn’t participate in the team’s 111-62 exhibition win, but wore a team-issued sweatsuit and supported his teammates from the end of Gonzaga’s bench.

The player’s final chance to gain eligibility, and suit up for the Zags in 2025-26, will come Thursday when he appears in a preliminary injunction hearing held in Spokane County. Grant-Foster’s attorney, Carl Oreskovich of Spokane, has claimed the NCAA’s verdict violates a Washington law protecting those with disability.

Much of Grant-Foster’s eligibility dilemma stems from the player’s time at DePaul, where he suffered cardiac arrest during the team’s season opener in 2021-22. A heart arrhythmia condition forced Grant-Foster to miss the remainder of DePaul’s 2021-22 season and sidelined him in 2022-23.

According to the lawsuit, the NCAA stated on multiple occasions Grant-Foster’s situation lacked “extraordinary circumstances.”

“He literally died, his heart stopped not once but twice when he was on the floor and he didn’t have two years of basketball,” Few said Sunday. “He’s put everything into basketball, it means the world to him and again, I’ve seen all kinds of things. A cousin wasn’t feeling so I’ve got to go home so I need a waiver, and that was granted. I didn’t get to start last year, I didn’t get to play point (guard), I’m mentally off so I need a waiver, and that was granted.”

In a postgame statement that lasted more than two minutes without interruption, Few was adamant Grant-Foster’s unique situation warranted a different outcome from the NCAA.

“He literally died. He died twice and I’ve been a huge advocate for the NCAA and continue to be,” the coach said. “They’ve got a tough gig, but they’re just wrong on this one. Ty’s filed a case and we’ll hope it turns out the right way. But it’s just been tough, the timing of it too. We submitted a waiver way back in June, so he really doesn’t have any options here if this doesn’t come through.”

The date and time of Grant-Foster’s injunction hearing creates a scheduling conflict for Few, who’s scheduled to be at West Coast Conference Media Day in Las Vegas with GU players Graham Ike and Braden Huff from noon to 5 p.m. the same day. Few said it’s something he plans on addressing in the days to come.

“We’ll deal with it,” Few said. “We’re just kind of processing it day by day here.”