When Jamarques Lawrence joined a California lawsuit seeking a fifth year of eligibility, much like the NCAA had granted to many others, some believed he might eventually return to Nebraska. It looks like that’s not in the cards anymore. However, he still might return to Lincoln this year as an opponent.
When it looked like the door was open for the guard to return and possibly lead the Huskers back to the NCAA Tournament, there were admittedly many questions. One was whether NU even had a spot open on the roster. The other, of course, was whether Lawrence wanted to come back.
Lawrence entered the transfer portal when Nebraska’s season ended this spring, just in case the new 5-for-5 eligibility rules would allow him another year. Even though the NCAA eventually said they wouldn’t allow people like the ex-Husker to get that extra year, an injunction in Colorado has essentially granted anyone who was a member of the 2022 class that extra year.
It was thought Lawrence entered the Transfer Portal in case Nebraska had to move on and fill his roster spot. They did, and now it looks like the guard has moved on on his own. He recently told The Field of 68 that there are four teams he’s had contact with since the Colorado ruling that gave Lawrence and so many others that extra season.
NEWS: Nebraska’s Jamarques Lawrence, named in the California fifth-year eligibility lawsuit, told @TheFieldOf68 he’s been in contact with Michigan, USC, Troy and Fresno St.
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) August 17, 2026
The 6-3 guard averaged 9.8 ppg and 3.8 apg last season. He said he won’t be returning to Lincoln. pic.twitter.com/nVdjFxi0xj
Jamarques Lawrence could face Nebraska basketball with Michigan or USC
Lawrence said he’s talked to Michigan, USC, Troy and Fresno St. That, of course, means that there is a 50% chance that wherever the guard decides to go, he could eventually face off against his old teammates.
No matter whether he ends up with the Trojans or Wolverines, he’ll have a bit of a homecoming. Both teams play the Huskers only once, and both do so in Lincoln. It would certainly be more than a little weird that a player who was a big help in getting NU to the NCAA Tournament would be actively trying to knock them off. Such is the era of the Transfer Portal.
Assuming his eligibility sticks, this will be the second time that Jamarques Lawrence transferred from Nebraska. After the 2023-24 season, he transferred to Rhode Island, where he started all 31 games and averaged 9.9 points, 2.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game.
After that season, Lawrence entered the portal again and returned to the Cornhuskers. He celebrated his return by averaging 9.8 points and a career-high 3.8 assists per game while posting a 1.9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He also reached double figures 16 times for the Nebraska basketball team, including a trio of 20-point efforts, after having just one 20-point game in the first three seasons of his college hoops career.
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