Baylor Bears coach Scott Drew has defended the midseason signing of former NBA draftee James Nnaji amid backlash from peers over NCAA eligibility rules. With the team's record now at 10-2, Drew emphasized adapting to regulations to address injuries, as detailed in follow-up to last week's clearance announcement.
Following the NCAA's clearance of 7-foot Nigerian center James Nnaji on December 24—marking the first time a drafted NBA player has played collegiately—Baylor coach Scott Drew addressed growing controversy. In comments to CBS Sports, Drew likened navigating rules to changing speed limits: "We don't create the rules... my job is the coach of our program and we needed to add a player at semester break."
The Bears, unranked at 10-2, targeted Nnaji after season-ending injuries to starting center Juslin Bodo Bodo and frontcourt player Maikcol Perez. Drew, in his 23rd season, pursued clearance since early October through general manager Jason Smith, leveraging ties to Nnaji's agent who represents ex-Baylor star Jeremy Sochan.
Criticism intensified from coaches like Michigan State's Tom Izzo ("ridiculous" and "embarrassing"), UConn's Dan Hurley (college hoops for high school/JUCO players, not pros), and Gonzaga's Mark Few (roster addition concerns). Drew, who spoke with Izzo recently, agreed most coaches seek reform via collective bargaining, not Congress: "99.9% aligned on changes for the good of the game."
This reflects a broader trend: BYU added Abdullah Ahmed, Dayton signed Sean Pouedet, Washington got Nikola Dzepina, Kansas State's women's team features WNBA draftee Nastja Claessens, and Oklahoma welcomed Kirill Elatontsev. Nnaji, eligible for four years pending a physical, sat out Baylor's 124-61 win over Arlington Baptist on December 30 and could debut in the Big 12 opener against TCU on January 3, 2025.
