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“The NCAA is responsible for this mess”

Photo of ahsan65@gmail.com ahsan65@gmail.com3 days ago
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“The NCAA is responsible for this mess”

Former NBA draft pick James Nnaji made history on Saturday after playing for the Baylor Bears against the TCU Horned Frogs. TCU fans inside Schollmaier Arena booed Nnaji, prompting fans on social media to react to the former Pistons pick’s controversial debut.

With Baylor trailing 14-6 in the first half at the 11:59 mark, Nnaji was subbed out to become the first player in NCAA history to play after being drafted into the NBA. He was showered with boos, wearing the No. 50 Bears jersey. He scored his first basket three minutes later with a step-back dunk.

Nnaji, who was drafted 31st overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2021, was cleared by the NCAA to play college basketball last week. He finished his Baylor debut with five points and four rebounds in 16 minutes, as TCU had the last laugh with a 69-63 victory.

The NCAA allowing James Nnaji to play was a controversial decision that could pave the way for other athletes to follow the same path. NBA fans were not happy with what happened and some of them blamed the NCAA on social media.

Here are some comments about X, formerly known as Twitter.

It’s not his fault the NCAA is responsible for this mess.

I guess the boos were for the NCAA, they allowed this. Baylor is simply following the rules or when it comes to the NCAA’s lack of it.

Terrible. It will be the end of college basketball if this continues.

Even ESPN thinks he’s still in the NBA! What are we doing @NCAA?

His team photo on ESPN is in a Hornets jersey

They can’t afford to put his name on Baylor’s jersey?! Nothing beats a 2 month mercenary like a temporary jersey!

How was James Nnaji cleared by the NCAA?

How was James Nnaji cleared by the NCAA? (Photo: IMAGNE)How was James Nnaji cleared by the NCAA? (Photo: IMAGNE)
How was James Nnaji cleared by the NCAA? (Photo: IMAGNE)

The Detroit Pistons selected James Nnaji with the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Nnaji was considered a raw prospect, playing several seasons with FC Barcelona in Spain. The Pistons traded him to the Charlotte Hornets on draft night, with Nnaji playing in Summer League before returning overseas.

The Hornets traded him to the New York Knicks the following season as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks still own his rights, even though the NCAA has still allowed him to suit up for the Baylor Bears. But why was he allowed to play?

According to ESPN, the NCAA cleared Nnaji because he never played an official NBA game in the regular season and playoffs. He wasn’t the first athlete to be cleared after being drafted, with Nastja Claessens being cleared to play for Kansas State.

Claessens was selected 30th overall by the Washington Mystics. The NCAA also allowed a trio of former NBA G League players, Thierry Darlan, Abdullah Ahmed and London Johnson, to return to college.

Nnaji was also within the five-year deadline to graduate from high school, which was another rule he had to meet.