Overview
- Izzo said the move was "sprung" on coaches without consultation, calling the decision-making "ridiculous" and "embarrassing."
- London Johnson, a former four-star recruit who spent three G League seasons, committed to Louisville as a mid-year enrollee and is expected to sit the rest of this season.
- Reports indicate Johnson would have two seasons of eligibility beginning in 2026–27, affecting roster planning despite no immediate on-court impact.
- Thierry Darlan, an NBA Academy Africa product from the Central African Republic, was previously reported eligible at Santa Clara after two G League seasons, marking the first such case.
- The NCAA historically barred compensated professionals from Division I play, but recent case-by-case decisions in a blurred NIL era have proceeded without a broad public policy clarification, prompting coach pushback over fairness and process.