NCAA proposes barring players who opt into, remain in draft

One of the proposals would require prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring pre-college enrollment draft rules in line with post-college enrollment draft rules. Men's ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes don't opt in to those sports' drafts.

The proposal comes after two basketball players, Alabama's Charles Bediako and Baylor's James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft.

Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasn't selected but played three years in the G League, the NBA's minor league. He filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after it denied Alabama's request to allow him to return to collegiate competition this season.

His lawyers argued that Bediako remains within his five-year college eligibility window, an NCAA rule that is the subject of multiple other lawsuits. A judge, who later recused himself from the case, issued a temporary restraining order that allowed Bediako to play while the case moved forward. He played in five games before another judge lifted the order in a decision upheld by the Alabama Supreme Court.

Nnaji, from Nigeria, was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the draft. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League.

The Academics and Eligibility Committee also proposed that prospects be allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling in college. Under current NCAA rules, prospects are only permitted to sign with agents for name, image and likeness purposes, with exceptions for baseball and hockey players who can enter agreements with agents if they are drafted.

The committee also proposed that athletes be allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility. Currently, prospects can accept prize money only up to actual and necessary expenses, except in tennis, which permits up to $10,000 in prize money.

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