NCAA reaffirms college ineligibility for players under NBA contracts
ncaa-reaffirms-college-ineligibility-for-players-under-nba-contracts
INDIANAPOLIS — NCAA president Charlie Baker said Tuesday that athletes who have signed any form of NBA contract, including two-way agreements, will remain ineligible to compete in college basketball.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract,” Baker stated, drawing a clear distinction between players tied to NBA deals and those who turned professional elsewhere.
The announcement follows last week’s decision to award four years of eligibility to James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, who recently enrolled at Baylor. Nnaji never penned an NBA contract and instead continued playing in Europe as a draft-and-stash prospect, allowing him to meet current NCAA rules.
Baker said the organization is using discretion to ensure American players are not disadvantaged compared with international prospects, while still upholding longstanding amateurism guidelines. His clarification arrives amid reports that college programs had contacted athletes with NBA experience, including former Dallas Mavericks two-way guard Jazian Gortman and current Chicago Bulls two-way forward Trentyn Flowers. Both have logged NBA minutes, which would disqualify them under the reiterated policy.
Although neither Gortman nor Flowers is believed to be actively pursuing a return to college basketball, Baker acknowledged that ongoing legal challenges could eventually test the NCAA’s stance in court.
Source: Hoops Wire
