James Nnaji is about to do something that no player ever has, which is return to college basketball after being a pro.
Nnaji was originally drafted by the Pistons in 2023 as the first pick in the second round, but they traded his rights to Charlotte Hornets, who eventually traded those rights to the Knicks. Nnaji’s “rights” were traded as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal that brought the star center to New York, but Nnaji never actually signed an NBA contract, which is key.
He’s even appeared in a few Summer League games but because he has’t signed a contract, he’s technically still eligible to play in college even though he’s already played several years as a pro in Nigeria and Barcelona.