The NCAA is drawing a firm line when it comes to NBA experience.
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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…
— Charlie Baker (@CharlieBakerMA) December 30, 2025
NCAA president Charlie Baker said Tuesday that players who have signed NBA contracts will remain ineligible to play college basketball, even as the organization continues to loosen restrictions for other professional paths.
The clarification comes after Baylor enrolled James Nnaji, a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, who never signed an NBA deal and instead continued playing professionally in Europe. The NCAA recently granted Nnaji four years of eligibility, making him one of the first drafted players allowed to enter the college ranks.
That ruling sparked questions across college basketball, especially with reports that schools were contacting players who had NBA or G League experience. Baker moved quickly to shut that door.
"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," Baker said in a statement.
The stance affects players like former Mavericks two-way guard Jazian Gortman and current Bulls two-way wing Trentyn Flowers. Both went undrafted, signed NBA contracts, and appeared in NBA games without ever playing college basketball. Under the NCAA's current interpretation, that path disqualifies them from eligibility.
The NCAA has been more flexible in recent years with international prospects and G League players who did not sign NBA contracts. But Baker made clear that signing with an NBA team remains a hard stop.
That may not be the final word. As eligibility rules continue to be challenged in court, the NCAA could eventually face another legal test.
