In his college debut following a controversial midseason signing, former NBA draft pick James Nnaji drew loud boos from the TCU crowd as Baylor lost 69-63 in a Big 12 opener on January 3, 2026. The 7-foot Nigerian center scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 16 bench minutes amid ongoing debate over pro-experienced players in college basketball.
The matchup in Fort Worth, Texas, saw TCU improve to 11-3 overall (1-0 Big 12), snapping a five-game home losing streak against Baylor. Micah Robinson posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, Xavier Edmonds scored 12, and Liutauras Lelevicius and David Punch added 11 each.
Baylor fell to 10-3 (0-1 Big 12), managing a season-low 63 points on 37% shooting after averaging 96 in their prior three games. Cameron Carr led with 17 points, and Dan Skillings Jr. had 13.
Nnaji, who joined Baylor after four pro seasons in Europe and never signing an NBA contract (retaining full NCAA eligibility), entered with 11:59 left in the first half amid boos from TCU fans and cheers from Bears supporters. The jeers persisted, even after his first college points via putback dunk. He shot 2-of-3 but fouled out with 4:42 left.
Baylor coach Scott Drew defended him: “James did nothing wrong... If James was an NBA player today, he would be in the NBA.” Drew highlighted Nnaji's focus on education and recovery from a seven-month injury layoff. TCU's Jamie Dixon addressed broader issues: “We have professional basketball with no cap, no draft, no rules, no interpretation.” The NCAA had approved Nnaji's eligibility, echoing cases like Thierry Darlan at Santa Clara, amid coach criticisms including from John Calipari.
