More than two years after he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, highly regarded big man James Nnaji will continue to put off his NBA future and enroll at Baylor.
Baylor announced his addition on Wednesday. Nnaji will be available to play for the Bears immediately and was granted four years of eligibility by the NCAA, according to On3.
“James is a really talented young player with a ton of potential, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Baylor Family,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said in a statement. “Any time you add someone to the roster midseason, it’s going to be a process to get them acclimated and up to speed, but we know James will do everything he can to make it a seamless transition. Our immediate focus is on helping him take things step by step to ensure it’s best for both him and the team when he’s able to take the court.”
Baylor opened the season with a 9-2 record and has a game against Arlington Baptist on Monday before it begins Big 12 Conference play against TCU on Jan. 3.
The 7-foot Nigeria native declared for the 2023 draft and was the first player selected in the second round (No. 31 overall) before the Pistons traded his rights to the Charlotte Hornets. In 2024, his rights were then moved to the New York Knicks.
The Knicks will retain Nnaji’s draft rights as he becomes the first drafted player to join an NCAA team.
Nnaji never signed with any of the three teams — which is why he’s still eligible to play for Baylor — although he did appear for the Hornets and Knicks in the NBA Summer League. He played in Europe, first with Ratgeber Akademia in Hungary, then with FC Barcelona, where he played when he was drafted in 2023. He also played for Basquet Girona in Spain and Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli in Turkey on loans.
Nnaji and FC Barcelona mutually agreed to opt out of the final two years of his contract on Aug. 1.
Baylor also announced Wednesday that junior center Juslin Bodo Bodo will miss the entirety of the season with an arm injury he sustained over the summer. A first-year High Point transfer, the 6-foot-11 Bodo Bodo averaged 6.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game over two seasons with the Panthers.
“Juslin has worked incredibly hard throughout his rehab and has done everything asked of him to get back on the floor,” Drew said. “Even through this setback, he has continued to be an unbelievable teammate by bringing energy every day, supporting his brothers and representing Baylor the right way. While he will be out for the remainder of the season, he will continue to have an impact on our team’s success.”
