NCAA president Charlie Baker addresses James Nnaji signing with Baylor and approach to eligibility cases

The story in college basketball over the past week hasn't been the incredible number of quality teams at the top of the polls this season. Instead, everyone has turned their focus to Baylor adding James Nnaji to their roster. 

Nnaji was the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft -- the first pick of the second round -- but never signed an NBA contract. He appeared in Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets but opted to stay and play professionally overseas rather than make the leap to the NBA. Nnaji's addition created quite the stir, as some legendary coaches decried the state of college hoops that would allow him eligibility, while Scott Drew defended and detailed his decision to add Nnaji to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander recently. 

Amid all of that outcry, NCAA president Charlie Baker released a statement on Tuesday confirming the NCAA will not allow any players who have signed an NBA contract -- including a two-way deal -- to have college eligibility, while detailing why the NCAA isn't fighting Nnaji's case. 

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). 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. Rules have long permitted schools to enroll and play individuals with no prior collegiate experience midyear. 

 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.

The ending of the statement offers a glimpse into why the NCAA has weakened its stance recently and been more reluctant to draw some of the hard lines long-time coaches are calling for. The NCAA's great fear is having a court case completely undo longtime rules and the organization's entire structure. As players have become increasingly successful getting injunctions against the organization that allow them to play, the NCAA has been forced to pick its battles more carefully to avoid a disastrous court outcome. 

The real change for college basketball is that they are now a competitor with overseas leagues for talent who would've otherwise stayed professional in Europe or elsewhere for financial reasons. Now that players can get paid to play college hoops, more players are considering the option to come stateside before trying to move on to the NBA. 

Nnaji being 22 years old and a former No. 31 overall pick makes his case stand out from other former overseas pros who have made the move to college ball, but he will almost assuredly not be the last. The real concern for the NCAA is if a young player who had a brief NBA career and signed an actual contract wants to challenge the eligibility rules via the courts. That's where the NCAA is willing to draw the line for now, but at some point someone will try to be the first to make that move.