It’s a question that would have seemed absurd a year ago: “Should professional basketball players be allowed to return to college to play basketball?”
But that very question is currently being debated across the college and NBA — and being litigated in court — after several athletes who played in the G League or were drafted by NBA teams applied for and received, at least temporarily, approval to play in college. That includes Charles Bediako, who after playing for Alabama for two seasons, opted to declare for the NBA Draft. After toiling in the G League for three years, Bediako returned to the Crimson Tide for five games before a temporary restraining order allowing him to play was overruled.
Former UCLA one-and-done Amari Bailey played 10 games in the NBA and is trying to go back to play in college. James Nnaji, who plays for Baylor, began his professional career in Europe and was drafted in the 2023 NBA Draft, although he never played in the NBA or collegiately before joining Baylor. Louisville’s London Johnson competed in the G League before heading to college for the first time last fall.
During All-Star Weekend, The Athletic polled players on whether pros should be allowed to return to the college ranks.
That’s a firm “no,” according to 10 of the 12 players who responded.
“I think there should be boundaries for sure,” said the Brooklyn Nets’ Egor Demin, who played at BYU after playing professionally in Spain. “I think if you play the game in the NBA, that probably makes no sense to let a player go back to college. It’s kinda unfair to the other guys, right?”
Demin’s opinion carries weight because he is an example of the loophole that players like Bailey and Bediako are saying is unfair to them. Current rules allow players such as Demin, who played professionally in Europe for Real Madrid, to come to the U.S. and play in college. Franz and Moritz Wagner both played for Alba Berlin before playing collegiately at Michigan.
The same opportunity has not, traditionally, been afforded to American players who played in the NBA or G League.
“I just feel like there’s a reason why they call you a pro,” said the Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells, who played at both Sonoma State and Washington State. “And when you’re in college, you’re not a pro.”
Jalen Johnson, an All-Star with the Atlanta Hawks, said, “If you declare for the draft, I think that’s kinda your way of saying like I’m ready to be a pro. And I also feel like it kind of takes away opportunities from other kids who are looking to get discovered and other kids who are looking for a chance.”
Added Jase Richardson, the Orlando Magic rookie who played one year at Michigan State: “Absolutely not. I think as soon as you declare, honestly, when the deadline hits and you declare, you should not be able to go back.”
The two players we spoke to who offered any support to the idea were Kyshawn George of the Washington Wizards, who simply said, “Why not?” and Toronto rookie Alijah Martin, who said, “To each his own.”
Alabama and coach Nate Oats have drawn criticism from other coaches, administrators and college basketball personalities for recruiting and playing Bediako, and his return to college basketball seemed to spark continued eligibility efforts by other athletes who had left college and played in the NBA.
Many of the eligibility lawsuits stemmed from a federal court challenge in 2024 by former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia that led to the NCAA issuing an eligibility waiver for the 2025-26 season to any athletes who attended junior colleges or other non-NCAA schools. The NCAA has faced a total of 55 eligibility lawsuits, resulting in both wins and losses for the organization, and others that are still ongoing.
— The Athletic’s David Aldridge, Sam Amick, John Hollinger, Jason Jones, Law Murray, Shakeia Taylor, Jared Weiss and Dan Woike contributed reporting for this story.