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NCAA President Charlie Baker Addresses Eligibility Amid Baylor Roster Move
James Nnaji is the first NBA draftee cleared by the NCAA to play college basketball, joining Baylor midseason to address frontcourt injuries, coach Scott Drew said.
- Last week, the NCAA cleared 7-foot Nigerian-born center James Nnaji to compete for Baylor University men's basketball program after NCAA vetting, and Baylor announced he joined the 2025-26 roster.
- Facing injuries, Baylor pursued frontcourt help after two season-ending injuries, with Scott Drew and Jason Smith seeking James Nnaji's eligibility beginning in early October amid shifting NCAA rules.
- Crucially, the player played in the NBA Summer League but never appeared in an NBA game, and his draft rights were traded to the New York Knicks in 2024, with most of his career in EuroLeague clubs like FC Barcelona.
- The signing triggered mixed reactions from college basketball fans and critics and public criticism from Tom Izzo, Michigan State coach, while Scott Drew told reporters on Sunday he is adapting to the sport's current climate.
- Drew said the next step is James Nnaji must pass a physical expected Tuesday, but with Baylor's Big 12 opener at TCU Saturday, his debut remains unclear as coaches foresee a trend shift.
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The flood of money that has flooded the NCAA, the University League of the United States, has turned the training competition into another player in the professional arena in the world sport. And the red lines that existed until recently are now more diffuse than ever before. A 21-year-old Nigerian boy, James Nnaji, a basketball player trained in the Barcelona quarry and chosen at the 31st place in the NBA Draft of 2023, is now the protagonist o…
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left4Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 38%
12%
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