Baylor Basketball

Baylor Adds Midseason Transfer, James Nnaji, to Help Bolster Big Man Rotation

Baylor’s men basketball has received a commitment from Nigerian center James Nnaji.
By Ashley Hodge
December 24, 2025
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Photo by Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Baylor men’s basketball has received a commitment from Nigerian center James Nnaji, a 7-foot-0, 250-pound big man who will be a midseason transfer. He is expected to be able to play for the Bears either in their final non-conference game on Dec. 29 or at the start of the second semester in January.

It’s an unprecedented move considering that Nnaji was selected 31st overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2023 NBA Draft. Nnaji’s draft rights were traded to Charlotte, as he played on the Hornets’ Summer League Team. In 2024, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks, along with star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, as part of a three-team trade. Nnaji played on the Knicks’ Summer League team in 2025.

Nnaji, however, has never played in an NBA game, but is another case study in pushing back the curtain on the NCAA’s powers, especially after it was determined that G-League players could return to play college basketball.

As Yahoo Sports put it, “The trend is a byproduct of the NCAA’s definition of amateurism loosening as college athletes have gained economic freedom. The line between pro and college athlete has blurred with the NCAA permitting athletes to profit from NIL deals.”

Nnaji spent time with FC Barcelona from 2020 to 2024 before being loaned to Girona of the Spanish Liga ACB, where he averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game across 14 games.

He then finished the 2024-2025 season with Merkezefendi of the Basketbol Super Ligi in Turkey, averaging 7.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in eight contests.

Baylor was forced to explore a midseason transfer because it had just one healthy big man on the roster, senior Caden Powell. Nnaji, who boasts a 7-foot-7 wingspan, should be another impactful big man as conference play heats up.

High Point transfer center Juslin Bodo Bodo was injured in the offseason and is now expected to redshirt. True freshmen bigs Maikcol Perez (ACL) and Mayo Soyoye (redshirt) are both out for the year as well.

Nnaji is just 21 years old, and will have four years of eligibility. He has no relation to former Arizona star and current Denver Nugget Zeke Nnaji.

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Baylor Adds Midseason Transfer, James Nnaji, to Help Bolster Big Man Rotation

26,858 Views | 120 Replies | Last: 3 hrs ago by Big12Fan2024
Jack Bauer
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11:01a, 12/28/25
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BluesBear
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In reply to Bearsalwayswin • 12:31p, 12/28/25
Bearsalwayswin said:
you wanna bet?


$100 Baylor doesn't finish in the Top 5 of conference.
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BluesBear
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In reply to boognish_bear • 12:39p, 12/28/25
boognish_bear said:
Izzo has not been exactly been running the cleanest program around


Izzo is a scumbag. He needed to get out when Saban did. The old ways of cheater are long gone. He's just pissed because others are figuring out a way to win….
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blackie
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In reply to boognish_bear • 1:10p, 12/28/25
boognish_bear said:
Does anyone know the rules on these midseason roster changes?

Is there a time limit when you can add a new player? Could a team add a new player in March?

I believe they have to be registered in the school and in order to do so have to meet the school's requirement to be admitted....which would mean by the start of the semester plus whatever leeway the school allows for late registrations, a week or two, I would think at most. To answer the question, I believe is "no".
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boognish_bear
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In reply to Jack Bauer • 6:38p, 12/28/25
Jack Bauer said:


Looks like this story turned out to be false clickbait

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boognish_bear
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2:19a, 12/29/25
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boognish_bear
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2:47a, 12/29/25
CSD too nice to tell Izzo to mind his own damn business


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BluesBear
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9:43a, 12/29/25
I wish Drew would just tell Izzo to pound sand. Player abuse and sex scandal - the guy needs to just quietly retire and go away...
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True Grit
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9:45a, 12/29/25
I find it interesting that we are getting so much blowback for the signing of Nnaji (and it will occur every time we play a game this season). It seems to me to be a very unique situation. If not, we would already be hearing of several other signings by now. Seems like other teams would be leaving no stone unturned looking for their Nnaji.
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Mitch Henessey
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In reply to True Grit • 9:57a, 12/29/25
True Grit said:
I find it interesting that we are getting so much blowback for the signing of Nnaji (and it will occur every time we play a game this season). It seems to me to be a very unique situation. If not, we would already be hearing of several other signings by now. Seems like other teams would be leaving no stone unturned looking for their Nnaji.
Yep. Every time we play a new team, their beat reporter is going to want a soundbyte on the topic, so CSD better be ready to answer questions about this all season long. I hope our Comms staff is drilling the narrative into him so we can paint a coherent picture.
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Robert Wilson
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In reply to Big12Fan2024 • 10:53a, 12/29/25
Big12Fan2024 said:
It's all the same. The minute players started getting paid, it became professional sports...

That's right. And it's funny to me that so many people are shocked that the obvious downstream consequences of turning it into professional sports are following. Of course they are.

The only real backstop is years of eligibility.

(College players used to have to pass a certain # of hours per year to maintain eligibility, but I seriously doubt that's being enforced anymore. There's just no way with all these kids skipping around every year.)

We will end up having some guys who made NBA money then washed out playing back in college. Why not? What's the difference? G League or Euro pro money vs NBA pro money? It's all pro basketball, just like college. The only real backstop is years of eligibility. If that goes out the window, then these are just sponsored pro teams.
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BearFan33
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In reply to Mitch Henessey • 11:09a, 12/29/25
Mitch Henessey said:
True Grit said:
I find it interesting that we are getting so much blowback for the signing of Nnaji (and it will occur every time we play a game this season). It seems to me to be a very unique situation. If not, we would already be hearing of several other signings by now. Seems like other teams would be leaving no stone unturned looking for their Nnaji.

Yep. Every time we play a new team, their beat reporter is going to want a soundbyte on the topic, so CSD better be ready to answer questions about this all season long. I hope our Comms staff is drilling the narrative into him so we can paint a coherent picture.

"We didn't make the rules but are adapting to the NCAAs rulings. If the rules change we will change too.
We had a need and we filled it. "

He could point to other schools bringing pros onto their teams.

The fact is the money may be better in college for some of these players.
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Big12Fan2024
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In reply to Mitch Henessey • 12:14p, 12/29/25
Mitch Henessey said:
True Grit said:
I find it interesting that we are getting so much blowback for the signing of Nnaji (and it will occur every time we play a game this season). It seems to me to be a very unique situation. If not, we would already be hearing of several other signings by now. Seems like other teams would be leaving no stone unturned looking for their Nnaji.

Yep. Every time we play a new team, their beat reporter is going to want a soundbyte on the topic, so CSD better be ready to answer questions about this all season long. I hope our Comms staff is drilling the narrative into him so we can paint a coherent picture.


Sign me up as long as it means all those questions and corresponding answers will absorb the time normally reserved every broadcast for re-living 2003 and listening to the same regurgitation we've heard on every broadcast for 20+ years.
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Mitch Henessey
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12:52p, 12/29/25
To clarify, I'm not worried about the scrutiny. We did everything above-board and are adhering to the rules. I just don't want us to cock it up, like we have with almost every other public relations situation in the modern history of our university.

My talking points would be as follows:

- We don't necessarily love the rules in place, but they are they rules, and we are going to compete as hard as possible within the lines.

- Euro players, who oftentimes have been playing on professional contracts (for youth academies) since age 10 (or earlier), have been eligible to compete in NCAA basketball for well over a decade. This latest rule merely expands the eligibility to non-academy players.

- The NCAA has pretty clearly stipulated that you lose your "amateur" status once you enter into a contract with the NBA, or play in an NBA game. To be crystal clear, James Nnaji has done neither of those things.

- As long as the current rules remain in place, we will compete aggressively to succeed while keeping in compliance with those rules.
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boognish_bear
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1:02p, 12/29/25
CSD and the program getting slammed in a lot of the comments...some are supportive though

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BearFan33
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In reply to Mitch Henessey • 1:43p, 12/29/25
Mitch Henessey said:
To clarify, I'm not worried about the scrutiny. We did everything above-board and are adhering to the rules. I just don't want us to cock it up, like we have with almost every other public relations situation in the modern history of our university.

My talking points would be as follows:

- We don't necessarily love the rules in place, but they are they rules, and we are going to compete as hard as possible within the lines.

- Euro players, who oftentimes have been playing on professional contracts (for youth academies) since age 10 (or earlier), have been eligible to compete in NCAA basketball for well over a decade. This latest rule merely expands the eligibility to non-academy players.

- The NCAA has pretty clearly stipulated that you lose your "amateur" status once you enter into a contract with the NBA, or play in an NBA game. To be crystal clear, James Nnaji has done neither of those things.

- As long as the current rules remain in place, we will compete aggressively to succeed while keeping in compliance with those rules.

All good. Didn't the NCAA have to approve him too? Like through the clearinghouse?
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Robert Wilson
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In reply to boognish_bear • 1:54p, 12/29/25
Just don't read the comments.

If our BOR had figured this out by 2015, we'd be in much better shape in general right now.
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boognish_bear
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DP4LIFE
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3:58p, 12/29/25
LOL at some of the comments from Kentucky, Louisville, and other "blue-blood" fans. They'd gladly start a team of 5 NBA All Stars if the rules allowed.

I don't recall any coaches outraged when Robert Wright signed a $1.5 million contract to stay at BU this year - only to pull the rug for a better offer from BYU.

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Robert Wilson
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In reply to DP4LIFE • 4:44p, 12/29/25
DP4LIFE said:
LOL at some of the comments from Kentucky, Louisville, and other "blue-blood" fans. They'd gladly start a team of 5 NBA All Stars if the rules allowed.

I don't recall any coaches outraged when Robert Wright signed a $1.5 million contract to stay at BU this year - only to pull the rug for a better offer from BYU.

Yup

It is what it is. Put yourself in the best position to succeed.
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boognish_bear
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5:02p, 12/29/25
No surprise that UK fans would be chirping after CSD turned them down
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Big12Fan2024
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5:38p, 12/29/25
That wouldn't be the same Kentucky who was accused by Arizona State with tampering with Jayden Quantance during the season in attempts to get him to enter the portal or accused by Alabama with tampering with Mouhamed Dioubate during the season that got him to enter the portal as well? Yeah, let's get worked about Baylor signing a player that had previously been drafted but never played in the NBA though. Situational rules are what we need in college basketball as long as they favor bluebloods.
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boognish_bear
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In reply to boognish_bear • 8:37p, 12/29/25
boognish_bear said:

I am such a huge fan of Carr - I hope he plays at the next level..
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10:51p, 12/29/25
Here are the things I will say to the people who are saying nasty stupid things about Scott Drew and the signing of our new guy: ________________!!!!!!

Fill in the blanks because the words I am saying will not pass the "be nice-no profanity" censors.

He went to the NCAA in….wait for it….OCTOBER!! He waited for the NCAA to approve. They gave approval.

But, that's not good enough. Baylor should be little, sweet, Sunday School Baylor and don't EVER do anything that might offend the sensibilities of those who deserve "good" things.

Baylor should always bend the knee and just be happy to be invited to the party and sit quietly in the back row.

Screw it. Can I say that and get past the censors??

Drew has spent his entire life doing things the right way. Screw the people who are now upset he had the brains and the guts to do what he's paid to do…..win.




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boognish_bear
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1:38a, 12/30/25
The sanctimonious BU dog pile is getting old real quick.




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boognish_bear
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boognish_bear
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11:10a, 12/30/25
Thank you Seth

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BearFan33
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In reply to boognish_bear • 11:52a, 12/30/25
boognish_bear said:
Thank you Seth


I am genuinely confused by all the consternation over Baylor's signing of James Nnaji. There is no substantive difference between his case and the hundreds of other internationals who are playing college bkb and getting paid quite well for it. The only difference is he was drafted by an NBA team, but he never played in the NBA and never signed a contract. And he never played in college, so under long-established NCAA rules he should be eligible. So what's the difference between his case and the many other internationals who everyone seems to agree have been a huge boon for college hoops?

If the issue is midseason transfers playing right away and displacing current players, what is the difference between Nnaji and all the other midseason transfers who are going to start playing right away again, under long-established NCAA rules?

What's different here aren't the eligibility rules post-NIL/House but the incentive of international players to play college ball in the States for multiple times what they can get paid overseas. Either bringing in the international players is good for college hoops, or it's not. (Narrator: It is.) Being drafted by an NBA team you never played for or signed a contract with is not a material difference IMO, by the letter or the spirit of the rules that were in place long before NIL and the House settlement.

So what am I missing?
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boognish_bear
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