Baylor basketball HC Scott Drew fires back at criticism of James Nnaji addition

The 2025 Baylor basketball season has been solid. They are 9-2 and are on track to make another NCAA Tournament. However, the Bears are under fire for their off-court actions and for recruiting former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji to join them in Waco. There has been criticism because Nnaji is a former NBA pick, which has raised questions about whether it should be allowed at all.

In response to some of the criticism, Baylor basketball head coach Scott Drew defended the move and said that Baylor is adapting and doing what’s best for the program. He also said that until there is collective bargaining, he does not think you can tell what is and isn’t allowed under the rules.

“Until we get to collective bargaining, I don’t think we can come up with rules that are agreeable or enforceable,” Drew said. “And until that, I think all of us have to be ready to adjust and adapt to what’s out there.”

“We don’t make the rules,” he added. “As we find out about things, we’re always going to adapt to put our program in the best position to be successful.”

Nnaji has never played an NBA game, but he was the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and has played in Europe since being drafted. He was a projected first-round pick, but fell to the second round to the Knicks.

Before Drew came out to defend the decision, legendary college basketball head coach Tom Izzo ripped the move and pointed a finger squarely at the NCAA.

Izzo’s main point was that if former NBA draft picks are granted eligibility, that will take minutes away from other players already on the team. He half-jokingly, but also half-seriously, said he asked junior forward Coen Carr if he’d be alright with Miles Bridges of the Hornets coming back to Michigan State if allowed.

Izzo and Drew supposedly talked about the move, and Drew said he respected what Izzo told him, but because there aren’t set rules right now, it’s hard for him to say whether this move is right or wrong.

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