Scott Drew isn’t shying away from the spotlight this week - and let’s be honest, there’s been plenty of it. After adding former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji to Baylor’s roster mid-season, the longtime Bears head coach found himself squarely in the middle of a growing debate across college basketball. Instead of ducking the criticism, Drew stepped up to the mic and addressed it head-on.
At a recent press conference, Drew opened with a nod to Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, who had some pointed words about the move earlier in the week. Izzo didn’t mince words, saying “shame on the NCAA and shame on the coaches, too.”
But Drew didn’t fire back. In fact, he emphasized the mutual respect between the two.
“Well, first off, Coach Izzo and I are friends, and I have a lot of respect for him,” Drew said, setting a respectful tone right out of the gate.
From there, Drew made it clear: his job is to do what’s best for Baylor basketball. And in today’s ever-shifting college hoops landscape, that means adapting - fast.
“Until we get to collective bargaining, I don’t think we can come up with rules that are agreeable or enforceable,” Drew said. “We’re always going to adapt to put our program in the best position to be successful because that’s what we get paid to do.”
That’s the heart of the issue. College athletics right now is a bit like trying to run a game without a rulebook.
Between the transfer portal, NIL deals, and eligibility questions, the system is murky at best - and chaotic at worst. Coaches are left to navigate a landscape with few clear boundaries, and even fewer consequences for coloring outside the lines.
So yes, it’s jarring to see a former second-round NBA Draft pick - a player with professional minutes under his belt - suddenly suiting up in the Big 12. But jarring doesn’t mean illegal. And in 2025, “legal” has become more of a moving target than a hard line when it comes to college recruiting.
You don’t have to love the move. In fact, plenty of folks outside of Waco probably don’t.
But let’s not pretend this is some outlier decision. If another program had pulled off a splash like this, odds are their fanbase would be celebrating, not condemning.
That’s the reality of the modern game.
Scott Drew didn’t write the rules - because, frankly, there aren’t many to follow. What he did was make a move that gives Baylor a better shot at competing. And in a sport where the margins are razor-thin, that’s the kind of decision every coach in America is trying to make.