The Detroit Pistons selected Nigerian great James Nnaji with the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after a promising year with Barcelona, and immediately traded him to the Charlotte Hornets. Nnaji’s rights were eventually traded to the New York Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal, but he remained under contract in Europe and never played in an NBA game despite appearing in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Knicks.
Now Nnaji comes to men’s college basketball and is immediately eligible. Nnaji committed to Baylor on Christmas Eve and may be on the court for the second half of this season. The NIL and the transfer portal have completely changed college hoops, and a former NBA draft pick being cleared to play is a new frontier for the sport.
College basketball is already full of former European pros; just look at Illinois’ roster this season. Nnaji’s arrival is different because he has already been drafted into the NBA and will join mid-season, but this is not totally out of line with current trends in the sport.
Nnaji, 21, has excellent physical tools as a 7-foot center with a 7’7 wingspan and a strong frame. He projected as a rim protector, offensive rebounder and lob catcher when he was drafted, and all of those traits should immediately translate to college basketball.
Baylor needs defensive help and Nnaji should be a great addition there. The Bears are 9-2 and rank No. 6 in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, but they are only 106th in defensive efficiency. Baylor doesn’t have a player taller than 6’9 in the rotation, and Nnaji changes that. The team has only lost to St. John’s and Memphis so far this season, and is about to begin the challenge in the toughest conference in America this season, the Big 12.
Nnaji always had the tools to be an NBA player. He just didn’t have the chance. He now has a great platform to prove himself at Baylor and attract NBA interest again.