On Tuesday, the NCAA broke new ground for a top-rated player in the NBA G League. Thierry Darlan will be eligible to play for Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, per Jeremy Woo of ESPN.

Darlan, 21, is off playing two seasons in the NBA G League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Previously, he had played for the NBA Academy Africa. During the 2023-2024 season, Darlan played for the team Ignite before it ultimately folded in 2024.

In 29 games, Darlan averaged 10.9 points and six rebounds and shot 45% from the field with the Blue Coats and the Rip City Remix.

This decision marks a significant breakthrough in how the NCAA operates. Recently, there has been a surge of professional players transitioning into Division 1 due to the loosening of rules. Much of that has to do with the revolutionizing of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) that has redefined the meaning of amateurism in athletics.

Also, Darlan is granted eligibility based on a few notable factors. One is he is far removed from his high school years due to being in the NBA Academy. The other is that he is 21 years old. Ultimately, the deal was made thanks in part due to Darlan's agent Todd Ramasar.

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Can Thierry Darlan still go pro?

This year, Darlan decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft. In 2026, he can once again declare for the Draft.

Before that, he will be playing for a Santa Clara program that has produced some notable NBA greats. Among the players that have come out of there include Steve Nash, Jalen Williams, Kurt Rambis, and Brandin Podziemski.

Furthermore, he will be playing for a program that is in a rebuilding stage and looking to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1996. In essence, Darlan has all the pieces in play to enable him to go to the NBA.