Overview
- Baylor enrolled 2023 No. 31 pick James Nnaji and the NCAA cleared him to play immediately because he never signed an NBA contract.
- President Charlie Baker said the association will not grant eligibility to athletes who have signed NBA contracts, including two-way agreements.
- Coaches such as John Calipari, Tom Izzo and Mark Few criticized the shifting standards and floated proposals ranging from midseason sit rules to draft-entry restrictions.
- Baker cited recent court injunctions as destabilizing enforcement, and attorneys in other eligibility cases referenced Nnaji to press their arguments.
- The move follows a broader pro-to-college trend that includes former G League players Thierry Darlan at Santa Clara and London Johnson at Louisville, while reports on Trentyn Flowers exploring college options collide with the NCAA’s bar on two-way signees.