Baylor head coach Scott Drew isn’t backing down from the noise surrounding the Bears’ latest roster move - and he’s not sugarcoating the realities of today’s college basketball landscape, either.
Drew addressed the recent addition of James Nnaji, a former NBA Draft pick, during a media appearance on Monday, offering a candid look at how programs like Baylor are navigating the ever-shifting rules and expectations in the modern game.
“Until we get to collective bargaining, I don’t think we can come up with rules that are agreeable or enforceable,” Drew said, acknowledging the current gray areas that exist in collegiate athletics. “And until that, I think all of us got to be ready to adjust and adapt to what’s out there.”
Translation: the rulebook is still being written - and in the meantime, coaches are doing what they have to do to compete.
Nnaji’s mid-season arrival has stirred up debate, not just because of his background as an NBA Draft pick, but because it underscores a broader trend in college hoops. With the transfer portal wide open and eligibility rules evolving, programs are finding new ways to reload - sometimes in unconventional fashion.
For Drew, this move isn’t about bending the system. It’s about playing within the current one - and doing it smartly.
“We don’t make the rules,” he added. “As we find out about things, we’re always going to adapt to put our program in the best position to be successful.”
That’s a message that resonates across the sport right now. Coaches are no longer just recruiters and game planners - they’re roster architects in an era of rapid change. Whether it’s navigating NIL, the portal, or the occasional curveball like Nnaji’s availability, adaptability has become a core coaching skill.
And Drew, who’s built Baylor into a perennial contender, isn’t apologizing for staying ahead of the curve.