Baylor coach Scott Drew addressed criticism of the recent signing of former NBA draft pick James Nnaji, saying Sunday that he’s merely adapting to the current climate of college basketball in order to put the Bears in position to be successful.
On Christmas Eve, Baylor announced the signing of Nnaji, who was the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft but never played an NBA game after being selected by the Detroit Pistons and having his rights traded to Charlotte and later the New York Knicks. Nnaji had been in the FC Barcelona organization since 2020, spending time on loan at two different clubs while also making 51 EuroLeague appearances for Barcelona.
While two G League players — Thierry Darlan (Santa Clara) and London Johnson (Louisville) — committed to colleges in the fall, Nnaji marks the first former NBA draft pick to be cleared to play in college on the men’s side.
Drew referenced the fact that multiple international players who went through the NBA draft process but were ultimately not selected are playing college basketball this season, as is Kansas State women’s basketball player Nastja Claessens, who was picked in the 2024 WNBA draft.