John Calipari critical of adding pro players to college game

Without new rules to prevent teams from adding players with professional experience to their rosters, the value of American high school players will decline quickly, John Calipari said in a postgame State of the Sports speech Monday night.

In a six-minute response on college basketball, days after Baylor announced the addition of former NBA draft pick James Nnaji to its roster, Calipari said the sport’s younger talents would suffer if players who played professionally — nationally or internationally — were allowed to compete.

“Does anyone care what this does to 17- and 18-year-old American kids? Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There will be no more high school kids,” Calipari said after Arkansas’ 103-74 victory over James Madison. “Who but stupid people like me are going to recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction from coaching young kids and seeing them grow and succeed – and their families and their lives change – that I’m going to keep doing it. But why would anyone else do it, if you can have NBA players, G League players, 28-year-old guys, guys from Europe? Do we really know their transcripts? Do we have anyone there? Do we really know their birth certificate or not?

“We don’t have any rules.”

Louisville (London Johnson) and Santa Clara (Thierry Darlan) have recently signed players with G League experience to their rosters, but Nnaji — a 7-foot center who played professional overseas after being drafted 31st in the 2023 NBA draft — is the first player drafted to be cleared to play by the NCAA.

While Scott Drew defended his decision to add Nnaji and said he was “glad” he was allowed to play, UConn’s Dan Hurley, Gonzaga’s Mark Few and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo all criticized the rules that allowed it to happen.

“Now we’re taking guys who were drafted into the NBA,” Izzo said. “If that’s what we’re going to do, shame on the NCAA. Shame on the coaches, too. But shame on the NCAA. Because the coaches are going to do what they have to do, I guess.”

Calipari laid out those sentiments on Monday. He listed a set of proposed rules that he said could stabilize the sport, including four years of eligibility over a five-year window for each athlete and the elimination of all mid-season additions.

“That’s an easy question. We can do it, NCAA,” he said. “Don’t talk to me about lawsuits. If you join a program mid-season, you can’t play that season.”

Calipari said he would make an exception for students who were academically ineligible during the first semester, but were in good standing to compete in the second semester. However, he offered no exceptions for players who participated in the NBA draft, saying all players in that situation should be banned.

“Very simple. The rules will be the rules, so if you put your name in the [NBA draft]”I don’t care if you’re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball,” Calipari said. “‘Well, it’s only for American kids.’ What? If your name is in this draft and you were drafted, you can’t play because that’s our rule. »

NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement on social media Tuesday addressing the issue of eligibility, saying in part: “The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract). As schools increasingly recruit individuals with experience in international leagues, the NCAA exercises its discretion in enforcing actual and necessary spending regulations to ensure that prospective student-athletes with experience in U.S. basketball leagues are not disadvantaged compared to their international counterparts.

Baker added that he would work with “DI leadership in the coming weeks to protect college basketball” after “recent aberrant decisions” regarding eligibility.

It’s unclear what the NCAA will allow in the near future regarding players with professional experience as it seeks Congressional intervention to improve the situation. But Calipari said those involved in college basketball should act now to preserve its future.

“How about we just do that?” he said. “We can do it without Congress and the Senate getting 60 votes.”