Over the last week, there has been considerable discourse about what eligibility requirements a player must meet in order to be able to partake in NCAA basketball. This occurred after former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji signed with Baylor, and amid speculation that Chicago Bulls player Trentyn Flowers might be pursuing college eligibility.
Now, NCAA president Charlie Baker has made his organization's stance clear on who is and is not allowed to play college basketball.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” said Baker in a statement, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN. “As schools are increasingly recruiting individuals with international league experience, the NCAA is exercising discretion in applying the actual and necessary expenses bylaw to ensure that prospective student-athletes with experience in American basketball leagues are not at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts.”
Recent updates to NIL rules and other eligibility requirements have opened up a broader discussion about the college basketball and college sports worlds as a whole, and who should and should not be allowed to participate at that level.
“While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades — without even having a trial — are wildly destabilizing. I will be working with DI leaders in the weeks ahead to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution,” continued Baker's statement.
It seems that Flowers will not be signing with a college program anytime soon.
