James Nnaji finished his college debut with five points on 2-of-3 shooting, four rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers in 16 minutes off the bench, while being loudly booed every time he touched the ball at TCU.
James Nnaji stepped onto the floor for his first college game and was immediately met with boos. The 7-footer, now playing for Baylor after being selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, drew a hostile reaction from the TCU crowd that followed him on every possession.
James Nnaji
James Nnaji
Position: C
Age: 21
Height: 211 cm
Weight: 113 kg
Birth place: Nigeria
Every time Nnaji touched the ball, the crowd let him hear it, including on a putback dunk midway through the first half that marked the first points of his NCAA career.
He finished with five points on 2-of-3 shooting, added four rebounds and one assist, and committed two turnovers in 16 minutes off the bench. Baylor ultimately fell 69–63, dropping to 10–3.
At 21 years old, Nnaji is far from a typical freshman. He spent four years playing professionally in Europe before being selected by Detroit with the first pick of the second round (31st overall) in the 2023 NBA Draft at just 18 years old.
His NBA rights have since changed hands twice and are now owned by the New York Knicks after stints with both Detroit and Charlotte.
Nnaji began his professional career with FC Barcelona in 2020 and has remained in Europe since being drafted, including loan spells in Spain and Turkiye. He has yet to make his NBA debut.
Because he never attended a U.S. college, Nnaji retains four years of NCAA eligibility.
TCU head coach Jamie Dixon addressed the situation after the game, voicing frustration with the current landscape of college basketball.
"I wish we had rules and they were clarified before the year, but I said the other day, we've gone from the NCAA with all these rules," Dixon said. "Now, we have money involved, we're a professional league, and we have no rules."
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