Following the enrollment of 21-year-old James Nnaji at Baylor, NCAA president Charlie Baker emphasized that the NCAA will not grant eligibility to any athletes who have signed NBA contracts, aiming to clarify the divide between college and professional basketball. Nnaji, a 7-foot center drafted by the Detroit Pistons and traded multiple times, played in Summer League games but not in the regular season. His eligibility marks him as the first former draft pick cleared for college play, amidst frustrations from coaches over NCAA regulations. Baker’s statement addresses concerns about recent legal challenges affecting eligibility rules in college basketball.
