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“The NCAA is responsible for this mess.”

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Former All-NBA draft pick James Nnaji made history on Saturday after he homered for the Baylor Bears against the TCU Horned Frogs. TCU fans inside Schollmaier Arena booed Nnaji, prompting fans on social media to react to the former Pistons’ controversial debut.

With Baylor down 14-6 at the 11:59 mark in the first half, Nnaji was traded to become the first player in NCAA history to play after being drafted in the NBA. He was showered with boos as he wore the Bears’ No. 50 jersey. He scored his first basket three minutes later on a rebound.

Nnaji, who was drafted 31st overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2021, received the NCAA’s nod to play college basketball last week. He finished his Baylor debut with five points and four rebounds in 16 minutes, while TCU got the last laugh with a 69-63 win.

The NCAA clearing James Nnaji to play was a controversial move that could pave the way for other athletes to follow the same path. NBA fans were not happy about what happened, and some blamed the NCAA on social media.

Below are some comments on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It’s not his fault that the NCAA is to blame for this mess.

I assume the booing was for the NCAA since they allowed it. Baylor is just following the rules or when it comes to the NCAA’s lack of any rules.

awesome. This will be the end of college basketball if this continues.

Even ESPN thinks he’s still in the NBA! What are we doing @NCAA?

His team photo on ESPN is of a Hornets jersey

They can’t put his name on a Baylor jersey?! Nothing says mercenary for two months like a makeshift t-shirt!

How was James Nnaji exonerated by the NCAA?

How was James Nnaji exonerated by the NCAA? (Image: Imagine)How was James Nnaji exonerated by the NCAA? (Image: Imagine)
How was James Nnaji exonerated by the NCAA? (Image: Imagine)

The Detroit Pistons selected James Nnaji with the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Nnaji was considered a promising player, having played several seasons with FC Barcelona in Spain. The Pistons traded him to the Charlotte Hornets on draft night, with Nnaji playing in summer league before returning overseas.

The Hornets traded him to the New York Knicks the following offseason as part of Karl-Anthony Towns’ trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks still own his rights, though the NCAA still cleared him to suit up for the Baylor Bears. But why was he allowed to play?

According to ESPN, the NCAA purged Nnaji because he had never played an official NBA game in the regular season and playoffs. He was not the first athlete to be cleared after being drafted, with Nastja Claessens being allowed to play at Kansas State.

Claessens was selected 30th overall by the Washington Mystics. The NCAA also allowed a trio of former NBA G League players, Thierry Darlan, Abdullah Ahmed and London Johnson, to return to college.

Nnaji was also within the five-year window of what would be his high school graduation, another rule he had to pass.