James Nnajifor all intents and purposes, functionally functions as a stock for the New York Knicks. This time it’s just in Waco, Texas, for the Baylor Bears, instead of Italy, Spain, Lithuania and the like. Nnaji was drafted into the NBA in 2023 by the Detroit Pistons and traded to the Charlotte Hornets. Nnaji’s rights now belong to the Knicks. It was a controversial move that drew strong reactions from prominent college coaches such as Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and John Calipari of Arkansas, who violated the NCAA’s rules and lack of authority.
Still, many college coaches and general managers don’t blame Baylor for finding a loophole in the rules to help his team.
“Motherf****** will go anywhere to find someone who can help them win a basketball game,” a senior college basketball general manager told CBS Sports. “I don’t think we’ll do this because these guys are pros. How will they handle the way a college coach coaches? That’s been my thought process.”
The uproar surrounding the first NBA draft The choice being approved to return to college basketball is centered around the looming consequences.
So who could be next?
As of now, the NCAA is standing firm on two fronts:
- Five-year window: The NCAA is open to releasing prospects who have completed high school within the last five years. Nnaji, 21, was within five years of graduating from high school and had not previously attended college.
- N.B.A contract is a no-go: No player who has ever played a minute in an NBA game has ever been cleared to return to college basketball. The Nnaji precedent sets the standard that guarding Victor Wembanyama in an NBA Summer League game and guarding Victor Wembanyama in an actual NBA game are not the same. NCAA President Charlie Baker doubled down Tuesday and strongly opposed releasing anyone who had signed an NBA contract. Nnaji had never signed a deal with an NBA franchise.
Some believe Pandora’s box has been opened with this loophole, but in reality there isn’t a long laundry list of candidates who fit these parameters. Additionally, an additional under-the-radar variable was that Nnaji was a free agent. The Knicks may have control over his draft rights, but he is not on New York’s payroll. FC Barcelona released Nnaji from his contract in August, opening the door for him to return to the United States. The current number of free agents who have graduated from high school in the past five years is small.
‘I don’t think the player pool will be big enough’ a university general manager told CBS Sports. “I think the NCAA or the NBA are going to do this very soon. Whoever is going to do it better do it now because this isn’t going to last long.”
A new major addition in mid-season is not expected, but the tone has been set for an exciting spring. The portal window looms in April, and players like Trentyn Flowers and other fringe NBA players, including some players currently on two-way deals, are expected to attempt to crack open the system to become eligible despite Baker’s warning shot.
Here are the new names that could now potentially come into play for college basketball staffs following the Nnaji ruling.
Dink Pate
Figures to know: 19.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists in four games with the Westchester Knicks in the G League
Age: 19
The skinny: Dink Pate was the No. 30 recruit in a Class of 2023 with famous names such as Stephon Castle, Elliot Cadeau, Jackson Shelstad and old friend Bronny James.
Instead of the college route, Pate opted to turn pro, taking G League Ignite’s money and following in the footsteps of Jalen Green and Scoot Henderson. But that entity closed in 2024 and Pate was not taken in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The New York Knicks (man, the Knickerbockers have come up a lot in the discourse) signed Pate to an undrafted free agent deal, and he has spent the past year in the G League posting objectively excellent numbers. The 6-foot-1 guard put up a 37-point, 11-rebound, 13-assist showing against the College Park Skyhawks in early December, displaying some of the tools that made Pate one of the top recruits on the grassroots circuit.
Most importantly, Pate has yet to play any NBA minutes and is still within the five-year window of graduating high school. These two variables open the door to college basketball if Pate prefers, based on the precedent set with Nnaji. Oh, and Pate has a lot of ties to university personnel. Kentucky assistant Jason Hart was Pate’s coach at G League Ignite. Alabama’s Nate Oats and USC’s Eric Musselman were Pate’s top two suitors the last time he strongly considered the college route.
Bogoljub Marković
Figures to know: 15.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists for Mega Basket in the Adriatic League.
Age: 20
The skinny: Bogoljub Markovic was a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He is stowed away in the Adriatic League, looking for Mega Superbet. Markovic was on the same 2024-2025 Adriatic League roster that produced current college players including Kentucky’s Andrija Jelavic, Miami’s Timotej Malovec, Illinois’ Mihailo Petrovic and Auburn’s Filip Jovic.
Markovic, a veteran 6-11 big man who can shoot, has played less than a minute for the Bucks and could pursue his collegiate options depending on Milwaukee’s vision for him in 2026-2027.
Juan Nunez
Age: 21
Figures to know: 5.0 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds in 15.6 minutes for FC Barcelona in the EuroLeague in 2024-25.
The skinny one: Juan Nunez is currently recovering from a knee injury, but San Antonio’s No. 36 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft used his seductive play to make a name for himself in basketball circles. The 6-4, 175-pound, set-the-table point guard needs to get healthy, but he could have a real market.
Jean Montero
Age: 22
Figures to know: 11.1 points, 4.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes for Valencia in the EuroLeague
The skinny one: Jean Montero went undrafted in 2022, but he could be a real difference-maker if he chooses to go the college route. The 6-3 guard is a go-to player for one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. The Dominican Republic native has been a productive professional at every international stop over the past three seasons.
Matteo Spagnolo
Figures to know: 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 18 games for Baskonia in the EuroLeague
Age: 22
The skinny: Matteo Spagnolo was a second-round pick by Minnesota in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6-4 Italian guard has been a rotation player in the EuroLeague for three seasons.
Yannick Nzosa
Age: 22
Figures to know: 2.9 points, 1.0 rebounds in 7.6 minutes for Spain-based San Pablo Burgos.
The skinny one: Yannick Nzosa, a 6-10 center, was a second-round pick by Washington in the 2022 draft.
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