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The NCAA allowed 2023 NBA Draft pick James Nnaji to commit to Baylor to play the second half of this season, an unprecedented move that surprised many in the basketball world.
Among those confused by Nnaji’s commitment was Arkansas head coach John Calipari, who didn’t mince his words when speaking about the state of college basketball following the Razorbacks’ 103-74 victory over James Madison on Monday.
Calipari, who won a national championship during his time coaching at Kentucky, spent nearly seven minutes during his postgame press conference talking about today’s game after a reporter asked his opinion on Nnaji’s move.
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Head coach John Calipari of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the American Airlines Center on December 13, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
“I have friends who play with 27-year-old players and they feel bad, and I told them, ‘Don’t feel bad. We don’t have rules. Why should you feel bad?'” Calipari said, according to Awful Anusing. “But let me tell you this. Very simple: the rules are the rules. So if you put your name in the draft, I don’t care if you’re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball. ‘Well, that’s just for American kids.’ What? If your name is in that draft and you were selected, you can’t play in college because that’s our rule. ‘Yeah, but that’s just for American kids.’ Okay. Okay.”
Nnaji may have started a trend that Calipari, and probably others, would not like to see come to fruition.
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Trentyn Flowers, who is currently on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls after going undrafted in 2024, is reportedly drawing interest from the Michigan Wolverines. Flowers was a member of the National Basketball League as a member of the Next Stars program, playing for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia instead of going to university.
If Flowers is allowed to play anywhere in college basketball this season, the NCAA would likely face some criticism considering it could open a vast portal of fringe NBA players looking to restart.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari watches after the game against the Miami Hurricanes at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, on December 3, 2024. (Sam Navarro/Image Images)
“Does anyone care what this is doing to 17- and 18-year-old Americans?” Calipari questioned in his monologue. “Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There won’t be high school kids. Who, other than dumb people like me, is going to recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction from coaching young kids and watching them grow and make changes in the lives of their families that I’m going to continue doing it. But why anyone else, when you can get NBA players, G-League players, 28-year-old guys, guys from Europe? Do we really know their academic record? Do we have anyone there? Do we really know their birth certificate or not?
In Flowers’ case, Calipari was direct and said the NCAA should stop allowing players to join programs mid-season.
While he said he feels selfish with his suggestions to the NCAA, Calipari also knows there are rules that are clearly much different than those of any other college sport. He believes some of his suggestions, especially not allowing players to join programs mid-season, would benefit the game immediately.
Head coach John Calipari of the Arkansas Razorbacks watches the game during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the American Airlines Center on December 13, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
“We can do it without Congress and the Senate getting 60 votes,” Calipari added. “We can do that. Get sued for those things.”
Calipari’s Razorbacks are currently ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25, with Arizona ranked No. 1 overall with a 13-0 record. Arkansas is 10-3 on the season.
