Basketball player gets four years of college eligibility, despite being drafted by NBA in 2023

After quarterback Shedeur Sanders slipped through the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL draft, we raised the question of whether he should try to return to Colorado (or another college program) for one more season. Many scoffed at the possibility, but it’s become clear in recent years that pretty much every NCAA rule, if challenged, will fail as an antitrust violation.

And the rule that prevents a football player who has been drafted from returning to college football seems to be ready to collapse.

Via Joe Tipton of On3.com, seven-foot center James Nnaji has been granted four years of eligibility by the NCAA — even though he was selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft. Nnaji reportedly will play for Baylor.

Picked by the Detroit Pistons, Nnaji’s rights were transferred to the Charlotte Hornets. In 2024, his rights were shipped to the New York Knicks. Nnaji has never signed an NBA contract.

Nnaji has played professional basketball overseas. He nevertheless has been permitted to commence a college basketball career, at the age of 21.

It’s just a matter of time before a college football player declares for the draft, changes his mind after being picked, and attempts to return to college football. (Quinn Ewers, taken in round seven by the Dolphins, also could have attempted to do it, but he decided not to.)

For any player who goes later than expected, or who is drafted by a team he doesn’t want to play for (e.g., the Jets), why not consider it as an option?

College athletes finally have the power to make real business decisions. There’s no more significant decision to make than whether to accept a slotted deal as a mid-to-late-round pick or to spend another year at the college level, making much more money via the new NIL reality and try it again the next year.