'What did I do, man?' How James Nnaji set off a college hoops controversy

WACO, TEXAS -- THE MOST polarizing pickup in men's college basketball history started with a wild idea. On an October networking trip to Baylor, Deirunas Visockas -- a former Boston College reserve turned agent -- learned the Bears were struggling with injuries and needed a big man. He happened to represent a player who fit the bill and was in search of an opportunity to reboot his career. "I said, 'What about James Nnaji , if we could explore that route? Would you guys be interested?'" Visockas told ESPN. "And here we are now." That chance encounter started a domino effect that made Nnaji -- the No. 31 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and the first drafted men's basketball player to be cleared by the NCAA -- the face of the season's biggest controversy . Baylor's Christmas Eve announcement of his signing sparked immediate criticism from legendary coaches such as Tom Izzo and John Calipari. Opposing fans booed his debut at TCU. And the condemnation rippled through social media, where he opened his recently reactivated Instagram account to a wave of digital hate mail. "I was getting a lot of insults and cuss words from people -- like really, really, really rude things coming towards me," Nnaji said. "I was like, 'But what did I do, man?' I'm as young as everybody in here." Nnaji didn't anticipate his decision would spark a nationwide debate about who should be allowed to play college basketball. Before landing in Texas, the 7-footer from Nigeria played professionally in Europe. After he was drafted, he had a short stints with the NBA during summer league but never signed an actual NBA contract. Still within the five-year window of what would have been his high school graduation, that all meant Nnaji met the NCAA's eligibility requirements. As the college sports landscape continues to evolve, teams are seeking every advantage they can find -- including within the gray area of what constitutes a professional and an amateur basketball player. Months before Nnaji joined Baylor, two G League players were signed by Division I teams, and former European pros can be found throughout the college ranks. Though some coaches blasted the midseason timing of Nnaji's addition to Baylor's roster, the Bears believed they were just ahead of the pack. "You have two choices: one, partake, or two, you'll be left behind," Baylor head coach Scott Drew said. "And when it came out that you could recruit G League players, I was against it at first. I didn't want to do it, but we don't make the rules. If they say you can drive 80, you're going to drive 80. If you drive 70, you're going to get passed." Nnaji became a lightning rod because of an idea he represents -- that physically dominant, elite talents with NBA experience could be cleared to play college basketball, creating a competitive imbalance in the sport. But the reality is Nnaji is 21 years old and still recovering from back surgery,...

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