NBA Draft Pick Going Back To College

For years, the NCAA seemed to have a Fort Knox-like lock on its rules about player eligibility and money. Both of those recently seem to have fallen by the wayside in their own respective ways. NIL deals became available to athletes in 2021, and now it appears that there are loopholes in the NCAA handbook regarding professional athletes returning to or attending school after being drafted or playing professionally.

James Nnaji might be exploiting the biggest loophole of them all.

The 6'11" Nigerian big man was a second-round NBA draft pick, selected 31st overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2023. Six days later, Nnaji was traded to the Boston Celtics and then immediately traded to the Charlotte Hornets. A year ago, Nnaji was part of a three-team deal that landed him in New York. But here’s the catch: Nnaji never signed an NBA contract, never played a single official NBA game, and instead took his talents to Hungary’s Ratgeber Akademia and FC Barcelona's organization to develop overseas.

That technicality, being drafted but never becoming a professional in the NBA's eyes, appears to be the key. The NCAA's eligibility rules don't seem to account for a player who gets drafted, declines to sign, and then seeks amateur status. Now, Nnaji is at Baylor with four full years of eligibility ahead of him, essentially starting his college career after being deemed NBA-ready by professional scouts.

The move sparked immediate controversy. College basketball coaches erupted. Arkansas's John Calipari declared there are effectively "no rules" anymore. Gonzaga's Mark Few said the sport's "lack of leadership has really shown." Michigan State's Tom Izzo went so far as to say, "Shame on the NCAA."

NCAA President Charlie Baker finally weighed in, issuing a statement that clarified the organization's position: players who’ve signed NBA contracts, including two-way deals, won't be granted eligibility. But Nnaji's situation fits through the cracks. He was drafted but never signed, which apparently doesn't disqualify him under current rules. Baker defended the decision by noting that international players with pro experience have long been eligible if they never enrolled in college, and the NCAA is simply ensuring American players aren't "at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts."

It's a wild precedent. Nnaji gets to play under Scott Drew's system, showcase his athleticism on national television during March Madness, and potentially work his way back into the NBA conversation, all while cashing NIL checks that make the financial sacrifice of leaving professional basketball irrelevant. 

He's not alone in finding creative ways to return to college. Trentyn Flowers actually played eight NBA games over two years but is now reportedly pursuing college eligibility, though his two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls could be the disqualifying factor Baker referenced. Thierry Darlan bounced through three G League teams, where he earned roughly $40,000 before enrolling in college to play for the Santa Clara Broncos, likely with better earning potential through NIL than he had in the G League. London Johnson, a former four-star recruit in 2021, signed a seven-figure deal with the G League Ignite and has also played with the Maine Celtics and Cleveland Charge. Johnson is now a member of the Louisville Cardinals.

According to Darlan’s agent, Todd Ramasar, the rationale is that playing in the G League or overseas should be viewed the same as international players playing for club teams. “It’s no different than European prospects who played for club teams like Real Madrid,” Ramasar told Yahoo Sports. “The NCAA is now the better platform; athletes get paid, get an education, and boost their draft stock.”

The common thread? The NCAA's rulebook wasn't written for this era. Between NIL money making college financially viable and eligibility loopholes that nobody saw coming, the line between professional and amateur has never been blurrier.