NCAA Eligibility: NBA Players Barred | Latest News

The NCAA’s stance on NBA athlete eligibility has come under close scrutiny in 2025.

The organization’s stance was questioned after James joined the Baylor men’s basketball team. Nnaji’s decision was compounded by reports that Trentyn Flowers, a rookie on a two-way contract with Chicago, was reportedly trying to gain NCAA eligibility.

Just before New Year’s Eve, NCAA President Charlie Baker drew a firm line on the college eligibility of former NBA student-athletes.

“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athlete who has signed an NBA (including a two-way contract),” Baker said Tuesday.

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“Although the NCAA has won the vast majority of lawsuits related to eligibility, recent atypical decisions prohibiting the NCAA on a national level from enforcing rules that have been in place for decades, without even holding a trial, are causing great instability. “In the coming weeks I will work with DI leaders to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution.”

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Baylor confirmed that Nnaji signed with the program on Christmas Eve, about two and a half years after the Detroit Pistons drafted him in the second round of the NBA .

Nnaji has competed in the NBA League, but has not yet participated in any NBA games. However, he does have experience playing at the professional level, having spent five years in the EuroLeague. Nnaji’s NBA NBA were included in an agreement between three teams that transferred their rights to the New York Knicks. The transaction also moved Anthony from Minnesota to the Knicks.

Flowers appeared headed to Louisville before signing a contract in Australia. He has played two NBA games this season with the Bulls.

Nnaji’s college eligibility was approved last week, a move similar to that taken with other international players who had not previously enrolled in a college or university under the purview of the NCAA or participated in any NBA.

More and more athletes who have gone through the G League NBA or have competed internationally with the goal of playing college basketball in the United States, a trend that several renowned university coaches have spoken out against.

Arkansas head coach John Arkansas Basketball stated that no one should be able to play college basketball after being selected to play in the professional league, regardless of their international status.

«It’s very simple. Rules are rules, so if you put your name on the [NBA ]”I don’t care if you’re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball,” Calipari said Monday. “Well, that’s just for American guys.” That? “If your name is in that draft and you get selected, you can’t play because that’s our rule.”

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Gonzaga coach Mark appeared to take aim at the NCAA leadership structure by saying, “There is a lot of chaos right now. We don’t really have any real organization or rules right now. I think the guys are just trying to do what they can. Until there is a rule that says it can’t be done, it’s hard to blame anyone for doing what they’re doing. “Our lack of leadership has been really evident.”

It is not yet clear whether the NCAA’s amateur rules, as reiterated by Baker, will be challenged in court.

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