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Judge Lets Duke’s Darian Mensah Enter Portal but Bars Transfer as Contract Fight Heads to Hearing

A Feb. 2 hearing will test Duke's bid to enforce an NIL deal it says grants exclusive control of Mensah's rights in college football.

Overview

  • A North Carolina court order permits Mensah to be in the transfer portal but blocks him from enrolling at, playing for, or licensing his NIL to another school until a Feb. 2 preliminary injunction hearing.
  • The upcoming hearing is set before Judge Ed Wilson in Durham County Superior Court, and Mensah’s attorney is seeking an earlier date.
  • Duke’s lawsuit cites a multiyear contract with a mandatory‑arbitration clause and claims exclusive NIL rights tied to higher education and football, asking the court to preserve those rights pending arbitration.
  • Mensah has entered the portal and is linked by multiple reports to Miami as a potential destination after leading Duke to the ACC title with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns in 2025.
  • The deal was widely reported at up to $8 million over two seasons; an initial judge denied Duke’s bid to keep Mensah out of the portal and recused, and Duke said it expects Mensah to honor his contract.