Steve Lutz Releases Statement on Kashie Natt’s Eligibility Pursuit

Steve Lutz has chimed in on Kashie Natt’s ongoing legal battle to obtain another year of eligibility.

If you’re not in the loop, the NCAA canceled Natt’s eligibility waiver. Natt transferred to Oklahoma State this offseason from Sam Houston, where he was the Conference-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Natt is now requesting an injunction from a Payne County judge to get that extra year.

Lutz tweeted Wednesday about Natt’s situation.

“Kashie has been a standout teammate,” Lutz’s tweet read. “We’re doing everything in our power to support him and will continue to stand in his corner as he and his legal representation move forward. This matter is now in the hands of the court, and we remain hopeful for a positive resolution.”

Natt has played only one season of Division-I basketball but had a journey to get to that point. His college career started at the JUCO level at Southern University-Shreveport before he made his way to NAIA LSU-Alexandria, where he played three seasons before transferring to Sam Houston.

Lutz’s tweet was a quote of a lawyer working with Natt, who shared his own thoughts on the matter.

“The NCAA applied an undisclosed categorical policy to cancel a waiver request submitted on behalf of Kashie Natt instead of conducting the individualized review its own bylaws require or engaging with the extensive record of extraordinary circumstances OSU submitted,” Darren Heitner wrote. “We are seeking immediate injunctive relief so Kashie can resume full team activities and compete for OSU during the 2026-27 season. He withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft in reasonable reliance on the NCAA’s process. Kashie is entitled to a fair adjudication on the merits.”

Listed at 6-foot-3, Natt averaged 10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a pair of steals a game this past season at Sam Houston. That came after back-to-back years of averaging a double-double at LSU-Alexandria, including averaging 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals a game in his final year with that program.