John Calipari doesn’t think anyone listens when he talks, but Tad Boyle does.

Tom Izzo does. Mark Few does.

The old guard in college basketball is trying to tell us something, and it’s about time we listen. College basketball is at a crisis point.

In case you haven’t heard, a player who was drafted in the NBA has been ruled eligible to play college basketball. Yes, 21-year-old, Nigerian-born big man James Nnaji, the former No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft who signed with Baylor on Christmas Eve, is eligible to play as soon as this weekend when Big 12 play starts. 

But all of the consternation you’ve heard from some of the biggest coaches in the sport during the holidays is not so much about Nnaji because, in reality, his case isn’t really different from the dozens of European pros that came to college basketball this offseason. 

Despite being drafted by the Hornets and playing in the NBA Summer League, he never signed an NBA contract and has spent the last few years with Barcelona, where he never averaged more than 4.3 points per game in Liga ACB. During that time, his rights were dealt to the Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, but he has never appeared close to coming over to play in the NBA.

Now, after parting ways with Barcelona earlier in 2025, Nnaji decided to give college basketball (and the lucrative opportunities that come with it these days) a try — and found a home with Scott Drew and Baylor.

Whether it’s Calipari, Izzo, Few or even UConn’s Dan Hurley, coaches across the country aren’t happy. Not solely because of Nnaji’s case, but because of what could come next.

NCAA President Charlie Baker put out a statement in response, saying no player who has signed an NBA contract (standard or a two-way deal) is eligible to play college basketball. But, like we’ve seen in recent years, we’re one lost lawsuit away from that changing.

“We’ve got no rules,” Calipari said this week during a nearly seven-minute-long rant about the state of the sport.

What Calipari really wanted to hit on is something Boyle has been talking about for years. The way the sport is trending, with winning above everything, is doing nothing but limit opportunities for high school kids across America. Many coaches have said it, but why would you get five high school kids every year when you can get a couple of experienced transfers or European players to fill your roster?

“Does anybody care what this is doing for 17- and 18-year-old American kids?” Calipari said. “Who — other than dumb people like me — are going to recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction out of coaching young kids and seeing them grow and make it — and their family’s life changes — that I’m going to keep doing it. But why would anybody else, if you can get NBA players, G League players, guys that are 28 years old, guys from Europe?”

Calipari isn’t just complaining for the sake of complaining, though. He’s got some basic fixes — and it’s a good blend of old and new rules, something Boyle has advocated as well.

First, players get a five-year window to play four years of college basketball. If they somehow manage to stay at the same school for four years, maybe they should get a fifth year of eligibility.

Second, you can transfer one time without penalty. After that, you have to sit out a year. The lone exception is if your coach leaves or is fired, then you can move again without penalty.

Third, if you put your name in the NBA draft (as an American player or an international player) and stay in the draft, regardless of whether or not you’re picked or if you do or don’t sign an NBA contract, you can’t come back to college.

Fourth, if you join a program mid-season, you’re not eligible to play that season. The only exception is if a player is already enrolled in school and had to work their way back to being eligible during the season.

Fifth, you can’t use money from NIL collectives or revenue sharing to recruit high school kids or transfer players. Once they’re in your program for a year, Calipari said, you should be able to pay them whatever you want to keep them. 

“How about this? It’ll be great for them academically,” Calipari said. “They’ll probably make more money, but we’re not gonna have kids leaving (college) after transferring four times. What’s the percentage of kids that make the NBA? It’s like 1% or less. That means 99% of the college players that are getting money, it’s fugazi. Because they’re getting 400, 500, 800 (thousand), a million (dollars), and they’re not pros.

“So, now they have to get a job after four stops (and) with no college degree. No loyalty from the state or the program, or anybody. You were a mercenary. I don’t care what a kid makes, but I do care what we’re doing to you people.”

Bingo. That’s what has disappeared from college basketball this decade.

Listen to the old guard, before they’re all gone. By then, it might be too late, anyway.

“The greatest thing about being a coach is when you see your former players have success in any walk of life. To me, that’s what college athletics (is about) and people lose sight of that,” Boyle said last month. “That’s really what we’re here to do, is prepare these young people for success in their life after they’re done playing. If we can play a part in that, there’s value there. The value’s not just in money.

“Absolutely, money’s a part of it now. What I’d like to see is the current players be able to leave here with a college degree and some money in their pocket, maybe starting a Roth IRA and doing some good things with the money that they’re earning while they’re here and get a head start in life.”

Is that so hard, NCAA?

Mid-major Minute

With 2025 in the rearview mirror, just six undefeated teams remain. Five of them are high-majors and wouldn’t surprise you. Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Nebraska. The sixth? Miami (Ohio). That’s right, the Redhawks are 14-0 heading into Saturday’s big showdown against Akron. Those are probably the two best teams in the MAC, with the Zips all the way up at No. 56 in Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings. Good teams can be found in every conference.

Upset of the Week

Virginia Tech 95, No. 21 Virginia 85 (3OT)

No better way to kick off ACC play than with an instant classic in the Commonwealth Clash. Virginia Tech took down rival Virginia in an epic, three-overtime affair on New Year’s Eve in Blacksburg. Both teams have NCAA Tournament aspirations, but the Cavaliers came in as the ranked team as Ryan Odom has quickly turned things around in his first season in charge. The Hokies won for a third time in the last four weeks, though, as Ben Hammond came off the bench to score a career-high 30 points. 

Going Overseas

Let’s spotlight a player who will definitely not be returning to college basketball now that he’s in Europe. Trevor Baskin, a Division-II All-American at Colorado Mesa who spent his final year of college ball at Colorado, is in his first professional season as a member of Nurnberg Falcons BC in the German second division. The Arvada native is averaging 12.1 points and 6.4 rebounds across 15 games. Baskin has also played for the U.S. as part of USA Basketball 3×3 program in preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.