The pros have come to college basketball. Where will we draw a line?

Hello,

Thanks for joining us today. I have some thoughts about the college basketball eligibility crisis and where some of the former pros who are starting to populate the sport came from. I’ll break down the specifics of several overseas leagues to help illustrate my point. Spoiler: It isn’t always glamorous. Read on, and I hope you learn something that might sharpen your own position on this issue.

— Kyle

The pros have come to college basketball. Where will we draw a line?

Forgive me for a simplistic lede, but what are we even doing? 

What’s going on in college basketball right now is a complete joke. And that’s coming from someone who thinks the NCAA should show more grace on eligibility waivers. What’s the harm in giving Trinidad Chambliss an extra year? He has a legitimate claim.

But letting players who signed professional contracts waltz back into college basketball is not flexibility. Right now, there are more than 10 college players who were on pro rosters as recently as last week! And you thought Indiana winning a national championship in football was stunning. The arrival of pros in college basketball is even more astounding. 

The latest example might be the most laughable yet. Charles Bediako played three seasons at Alabama, entered the 2023 NBA draft, wasn’t picked, then signed multiple NBA contracts, though he only played in the G League. 

Now, a Tuscaloosa County judge — who also happens to be an Alabama booster — granted Bediako a temporary restraining order, allowing him to resume his college career, citing a restraint-of-trade violation.

Sure, maybe there’s an argument there — except for the small detail that Bediako voluntarily gave up his final year of eligibility and signed an NBA contract. That matters. Or at least it should and used to. 

This mess started when the NCAA carved out exceptions for foreign-born players who had competed professionally overseas. Then it expanded to former college players who were still within their five-year eligibility windows after playing in overseas pro leagues. Then came James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 draft, who never enrolled in college prior to being drafted, continued to play overseas and is now a 21-year-old freshman at Baylor.

The NCAA’s decision to open that door was reckless. And now coaches are sprinting through it, scouring the globe for professionals who have eligibility left.

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