When Baylor head coach Scott Drew added former G-League player and NBA Draft pick James Nnaji to his roster in the middle of the season, it didn’t just raise eyebrows - it sparked a real conversation across college basketball. One of the loudest voices in that conversation? Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, who didn’t hold back.
Izzo and Drew have a long-standing friendship, and their mutual respect runs deep. But that didn’t stop Izzo from criticizing both the NCAA and his coaching peers - Drew included - for what he sees as a dangerous precedent.
His words were pointed: “Shame on the NCAA,” he said, for allowing mid-season additions like this. But he didn’t stop there.
He also called out fellow coaches for straying from what he described as the moral compass that should guide the sport.
This wasn’t just a passing comment. Izzo made it clear he planned to call Drew directly to get his side of the story. And according to Drew, that call happened.
So what was Drew’s explanation? In short: he’s adapting to the current landscape.
Drew addressed the situation publicly on Monday, and while he didn’t exactly back down, he didn’t offer much in the way of justification either. His stance was clear - if the rules allow it, and it helps Baylor compete, he’s going to make the move. Until the NCAA steps in with clearer guidelines, Drew says he’s playing within the system as it stands.
It’s a pragmatic approach, no doubt. But it’s also one that doesn’t sit well with traditionalists like Izzo, who see this as a slippery slope.
The concern isn’t just about this one player or one team - it’s about what this means for the future of college basketball. If former pros can drop into college lineups mid-season, what happens to the players who’ve been grinding in the program for years?
What message does that send about development, loyalty, and the college game as a whole?
Drew’s move with Nnaji isn’t without precedent, but it does feel like a new chapter in the ongoing evolution of the sport. First, it was international players turning pro before coming to college.
Now, it’s former G-Leaguers and NBA draftees finding their way onto NCAA rosters mid-year. The question looming over all of this is simple: where does it stop?
For Izzo, this isn’t just about winning games - it’s about upholding the integrity of the sport. And while Drew may be within the rules, his decision has reignited a debate that’s been simmering for years.
The NCAA has long wrestled with how to balance player freedom, competitive fairness, and the spirit of amateurism. Moves like this only add urgency to that conversation.
At the end of the day, Drew made a calculated decision to give his team a boost heading into Big 12 play. Whether it pays off remains to be seen. But the ripple effect of this move - and the tension it’s created among some of the sport’s most respected voices - is already being felt.
College basketball is changing. Fast. And if the NCAA doesn’t get ahead of it soon, the next big roster shake-up might make this one look tame by comparison.