James Nnaji: NBA Draft & College Path

Another pearl from La Masia who is leaving Barça to go to the NCAA or so many fans of the Barça club must think when they see that James Nnaji He also goes to American college basketball. But it turns out that the Nigerian’s case is a special one, as well as anomalous to the point that in the United States they are putting their hands on their heads.

Nnaji, who ended his contract with the Barça club in the summer, has signed with Baylor according to reports Jonathan Givony. But it turns out that he will start playing in college after being drafted by the NBA in 2023 and with his rights still in the possession of the New York Knicks. Although the NCAA now allows professional players to play in college, the African is a most exceptional case for going from the NBA to college.

Still, James Nnaji has not gotten to play in the best league in the world. The 21-year-old Barça youth player played last Summer League with the Knicks and in that same last summer Nnaji and FC Barcelona agreed to terminate the player’s contract. The 2.11 center did not convince the New York team and since July he was without a team.

Nnaji was selected 31st overall in the 2023 draft by the Detroit Pistons to be immediately traded to the Charlotte Hornets. In October 2024, the right-handers of the interior were sent to the Knicks in the three-way transaction in which the Timberwolves sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Big Apple to obtain in exchange Julius Randle.

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Without a team since July

James Nnaji

The center played the Summer League in 2023 with the Hornets and in 2025 with the Knicks. Since then, the Nigerian has not competed.

The Nigerian arrived at La Masia in 2020 and Saras Jasikevicius made him debut with the first team in 2022. Despite a promising start with his intimidating power in both hoops, James Nnaji stagnated and last season he was on loan at Bàsquet Girona de Marc Gasol and then in the Yukatel Merkezefendi of the Turkish second division.

Nnaji has a lot of work ahead of him to develop a limited offensive game and will therefore have plenty of time with the four years of eligibility that the NCAA has given him. After half a year without competing, the center will be able to make his debut on January 3 before TCU.