Mac Engel: Baylor's James Nnaji makes a debut that was both inevitable and an indictment

Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Jan 3, 2026

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FORT WORTH, Texas — The latest mockery of the college student-athlete made his debut Saturday, when a 2023 draftee of the Detroit Pistons and pro player in Spain came off the bench for the Baylor Bears here in 2026.

If James Nnaji was that good, he would be a pro. But he’s not, so he’s a Bear.

Whatever criticism one has of Baylor coach Scott Drew for his recruitment/signing of Nnaji needs to be shelved; aim the anger at the adults in the room who mutilated college sports beyond recognition, but are still making bank despite the changes they loathe.

In his NCAA debut, Nnaji scored five points with four rebounds in 16 minutes as TCU defeated Baylor, 69-63.

Drew is standing on the shoulders of the late Jerry Tarkanian, and pushing the rules to see just how much he can get away with. Unlike Tark, who famously fought the NCAA over a variety of infractions, Drew can rest knowing whatever he does will create some empty faux outrage from his fellow coaches, and nothing from the powerless NCAA.

“James did nothing wrong. Baylor did nothing wrong,” Drew said after the game. “If James was an NBA player, he would be in the NBA.”

In this era, it was inevitable that a former draft pick, or pro, was going to go “back to school.” The presence of Nnaji, 21, on Baylor’s team is a symptom not of a broken system but one that has become a two-legged horse race dressed in college logos.

“We’ve gone from the NCAA with all of these rules to where we have no rules,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said after the game, “We have no caps. No contracts. I’m not complaining; this is what it is. Every school operates under different rules.

“Call it what it is; you can be as good as you want to be. We’ve seen that in football. Just put the resources into it.”

Why Baylor signed Nnaji

When Nnaji came off the bench at around the 10-minute mark of the first half at TCU he was immediately met by boos from the fans. They were well aware of the mid-season signee’s presence.

Unlike the rest of his teammates, the back of his jersey didn’t feature his last name. His jersey number, 50, didn’t match the one on the team’s roster, 46.

When he took off his warmup shirt and stepped on the floor, it made sense. He’s a physical freak created in some basketball fantasy lab; a 7-foot athletic marvel from Nigeria who can affect the paint just by standing upright and extending his arms.

It’s why he was drafted 31st by the Pistons in ‘23, and eventually his rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets, and New York Knicks. He never played in the NBA, but did play as a pro for four years in Barcelona.

Coaches spend years recruiting these types, and don’t land but a few. The ones they do sign usually don’t pan out, or leave shortly after they arrive.

“James is a great young man; he grew up playing piano in church,” Drew said. “His mom is most excited about his opportunity to get a degree. He had not played a competitive game in seven months. I thought he did a great job.”

In Nnaji’s first game, he did collect a rebound for a put-back dunk. Made one of two free throws. Grabbed some rebounds. Tried his best to execute pick-and-rolls. Nothing fancy.

Because he’s not that good. On first sight, he looks like your standard import who can athlete his way into quality minutes in a game, but can’t really play. He is a project.

Basketball has a lot of these guys who look like they should dominate, but don’t have the skill. For every Hakeem Olajuwon or Joel Embiid, there are dozens and dozens of others who look like them, until they are asked to do something with the ball.

Will Nnaji cause change in NCAA sports?

Since the U.S. Supreme Court set fire to the NCAA rulebook by ruling against the governing body, it’s created a meteor shower that continues to fall on college sports.

Players play at five or six schools. Football players quit on seasons before they’re over. Opt-outs are common. Players transfer during the football playoffs. Players announce on social media when they have “re-signed” with the school they’re currently at. Players celebrate six, seven or even eight years of eligibility. The transfer portal is stuffed with thousands of kids.

The highest classification of NCAA sports is a farce.

Drew admitted the reaction from his fellow coaches exceeded his expectations, and made it a point to say every time the NCAA put a rule in place it was challenged, and overturned, by a judge that has made all of this possible.

“I’m not going to point the finger at the NCAA,” Drew said. “We all want to do what’s best for the greater good, and hopefully we can get that at some point.”

The only way this changes is if the powers that be agree to both a set of rules, and enforcement, that can hold up in court. Until then, this is the system, and there will be more James Nnajis going “back to school.”