James Nnaji, the No. 31 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has taken an unprecedented step in his career by enrolling at Baylor University to compete this same season in the NCAA.
The move is highly significant: for the first time, a player who has already been selected in an NBA Draft moves directly into college basketball with immediate eligibility, opening a new scenario in the relationship between Europe, the NBA, and the NCAA.
Nnaji, a center developed in Europe who attempted to make the jump to the NBA after being drafted in 2023, now opts for the U.S. college pathway as a platform for development, visibility, and projection. His arrival at Baylor represents a case without recent precedent and reflects a deep shift in the dynamics of the developmental and professional market.
Until now, the usual path for a drafted European player involved remaining with professional clubs, trying to earn a spot in the NBA, or alternating contracts and loan spells. Nnaji’s decision introduces a real third pathway: the NCAA as a space for revaluation even after the Draft, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
The current context of college basketball, with greater regulatory flexibility and new opportunities for international players, allows profiles like Nnaji’s to compete, develop, and reposition themselves without being blocked by their prior professional background. In this specific case, immediate eligibility further underscores the magnitude of the move.
Beyond the individual case, James Nnaji’s enrollment at Baylor raises a fundamental question: is the traditional market order changing? The NCAA is emerging as a viable alternative not only for young players without professional experience, but also for players who have already knocked on the NBA’s door and are seeking a different environment to continue their progression.
Nnaji’s move not only reshapes his own career, but could also set a precedent with a direct impact on the decision-making of other European players, NBA franchises, and college programs themselves, within an ecosystem that is increasingly interconnected and flexible.