Rutgers basketball coach mocks NCAA's eligibility rules as debate reignites over NBA-experienced players

The statement implicit NCAA eligibility for athletes whose inheritance includes NBA acquisition was reignited aft James Nnaji joined the Baylor men’s hoops team.

As the database of athletes who spent clip successful the NBA’s G League oregon competed astatine the planetary level and are seeking to play assemblage hoops successful the U.S. grows, respective salient assemblage hoops coaches person spoken retired against the trend. Rutgers men’s hoops manager Steve Pikiell is among that group, but successful his critique, helium floated an outside-the-box theory.

"Whoever’s retired there, you effort to pursue. It’s a weird world," Pikiell told reporters erstwhile discussing coaches not ruling retired the anticipation of midseason transfers.

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Rutgers Scarlet Knights caput manager Steve Pikiell reacts astatine the extremity of the crippled against the Oregon Ducks astatine Matthew Knight Arena connected Feb. 16, 2025 successful Eugene, Oregon. (Craig Strobeck/Imagn Images)

Pikiell’s comments came soon aft Rutgers defeated Delaware State connected Monday. He continued his remarks by jokingly adding that helium wouldn’t caput having a 36-year-old with a household connected the Rutgers roster.

"I'd similar to get a 36-year-old with 4 kids and bare for a job. I'd similar to get 1 of those guys. We'll spot if 1 of those guys is available. But yeah, you got to prosecute immoderate pb that you person connected anybody and past got to spell done each the steps to effort to marque it happen. It's precise complex."

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Thierry Darlan and London Johnson some skipped the assemblage hoops route, going straight to the now-defunct NBA G League Ignite. Earlier this year, some players received clearance for their respective NBA eligibility.

Elsewhere, Baylor confirmed that Nnaji signed with the programme connected Christmas Eve, astir 2½ years aft the Detroit Pistons selected him successful the 2nd circular of the NBA Draft. He has competed successful the NBA Summer League but has yet to look successful an NBA regular-season game.

James Nnaji of Barcelona takes a changeable during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 34 lucifer betwixt LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne and FC Barcelona astatine LDLC Arena connected April 12, 2024 successful Lyon, France. (Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Nevertheless, Nnaji’s determination from the EuroLeague to the NBA Draft to Baylor added to the outcry from assemblage coaches and others.

Arkansas men’s hoops caput manager John Calipari said nary 1 should beryllium permitted to play assemblage hoops aft being drafted into the pros, careless of planetary status.

"Real simple. The rules beryllium the rules, truthful if you enactment your sanction successful the [NBA Draft], I don't attraction if you're from Russia and you enactment successful the draft, you can't play assemblage basketball," Calipari said Monday. "'Well, that's lone for American kids.' What? If your sanction is successful that draft, and you got drafted, you can't play due to the fact that that's our rule."

A NCAA Official Game Ball logo is seen connected a hoops earlier the NCAA Division II National Championship Basketball crippled betwixt the Minnesota State Mavericks and the Nova Southeastern Sharks connected March 30, 2024, astatine the Ford Center successful Evansville, Indiana. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Longtime Michigan State men’s hoops manager Tom Izzo besides weighed in, jokingly hinting helium mightiness inquire with Spartans legends Ervin "Magic" Johnson and others astir returning to the assemblage hardwood.

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"Why not? I mean, if that's what we're going to, shame connected the NCAA," Izzo said. "Shame connected the coaches, too. But shame connected the NCAA, due to the fact that coaches are gonna bash what they gotta do, I guess. But the NCAA is the one. Those radical connected those committees that are making those decisions to let thing truthful ridiculous and not deliberation of the kid."

Gonzaga manager Mark Few appeared to instrumentality purpose astatine the NCAA's enactment structure, saying, "It's chaotic retired determination close now. We truly don't person immoderate organizational oregon immoderate existent rules close now. I deliberation guys are conscionable trying to bash immoderate they can. Until there's a regularisation that says you can't bash it, it's hard to blasted anybody for doing what they're doing. Our deficiency of enactment has truly shown."

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