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NCAA Division I Cabinet approves changes to eligibility rules for athletes preparing to enroll
TL;DR
The NCAA Division I Cabinet has approved new eligibility rules barring athletes from competing in college if they enter a professional sports draft. The changes aim to align pre-college and post-college draft rules and allow athletes to sign with agents and accept prize money without affecting their eligibility.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) â The NCAA Division I Cabinet has approved changes to eligibility rules, including one that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college. The Cabinet met this week, and the rules changes went into effect when members adjourned Wednesday. One of the rules requires prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring pre-college enrollment draft rules in line with post-college enrollment draft rules. Menâs ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes donât opt in to those sportsâ drafts. The change came after two basketball players, Alabamaâs Charles Bediako and Baylorâs James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft. Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasnât selected but played three years in the G League, the NBAâs minor league. He played in five games this past season before the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a ruling that made him ineligible. Nnaji was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He would be ineligible in 2026-27 under the new rules. In other changes, athletes are allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling for purposes other than name, image and likeness and are allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility. \\\_ AP college sports:
Q&A
What are the new NCAA eligibility rules for athletes entering professional drafts?
The new NCAA rules prohibit athletes who enter a professional sports draft from competing in college unless they withdraw from the draft.
How do the new NCAA rules affect basketball players like Charles Bediako and James Nnaji?
Under the new rules, players like Bediako, who entered the NBA draft and remained there, would be ineligible to play in college, while Nnaji, who had not signed an NBA contract, would be affected in future seasons.
Can NCAA athletes sign with agents under the new eligibility rules?
Yes, athletes are now allowed to sign with agents for purposes other than name, image, and likeness, without impacting their eligibility.
