1 month ago
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Baylor freshman center James Nnaji plans to enter the Transfer Portal. DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony first reported the news.
Nnaji became a massive story in the sport of college basketball last season when he enrolled at Baylor on Dec. 24 and was immediately deemed eligible to play for the Bears. The Nigeria native was selected with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, but never appeared in a G-League game or an NBA game.
That large uproar soon quieted down, as Nnaji did not quite dominate the sport, as many were afraid he would do. In 18 games, the 7’0″ center averaged just 1.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks. Baylor finished the 2025-26 season with a 17-17 (6-12) record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.
Among Nnaji’s biggest critics were Michigan State Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo, who was furious in the aftermath of the Baylor Bear being granted eligibility.
“I asked Coen (Carr), would you be okay if I went and got Miles (Bridges) and brought him back? … You laugh, but that’s what we’re doing,” Izzo said. “Somebody’s sitting. Somebody’s not playing. I just don’t think that’s fair for the players. Some of them work their butt off to get to this position and maybe things didn’t go right. I’m a little surprised.
“I’ve got a call in to Scott (Drew). I’m anxious to see what he tells me. … But what I’m hearing and now, we’re taking guys that were drafted in the NBA and everything. I said it to you a month and a half ago, ‘Come on, Magic (Johnson) and Gary (Harris). Let’s go, baby. Let’s do it.’ Why not?”
By entering the Portal, James Nnaji‘s long and winding basketball career will continue. Nnaji played with Rátgéber Akadémia from 2019-2020, FC Barcelona from 2020-2025, Girona from 2024-2025, Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket in 2025, the Summer League New York Knicks in 2023, and the Baylor Bears in 2025-26.
