Baylor set to debut James Nnaji vs. Arlington Baptist after NCAA grants eligibility

Baylor coach Scott Drew said it is "going to be a process" to add former NBA draft pick James Nnaji to the mix for the Bears.

That process starts Monday when the 7-foot center is eligible to play for the Bears (9-2) when they host Division II Arlington Baptist (2-8) in a nonconference game in Waco, Texas.

Nnaji played three seasons in EuroLeague after being selected as the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. His rights were then traded to the Charlotte Hornets and then the New York Knicks.

The NCAA granted Nnaji four years of eligibility this week because the native of Nigeria never signed an NBA contract.

"James is a really talented young player with a ton of potential, and we're excited to welcome him to the Baylor Family," Drew said in a statement. "Our immediate focus is on helping him take things step by step to ensure it's best for both him and the team when he's able to take the court."

The addition could not come at a better time for the Bears, who also announced this week that junior center Juslin Bodo Bodo will miss the remainder of the season after injuring his arm in the summer.

Cameron Carr leads the Bears in scoring with 21.7 points per game while adding 5.6 rebounds. Carr is hitting 55.6% of his shots from the field and 41.7% of his 3-point attempts (25 of 60).

Tounde Yessoufou is scoring 18.5 points and pulling down 5.8 rebounds per game, while Dan Skillings Jr. scores 11.8 points and grabs 7.3 rebounds per game.

Arlington Baptist competes in the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II.

Earlier this season, coach Bubba Jennings said he wants the Patriots to have a fast-paced offense and use a full-court press on defense to force an up-tempo game.

The Patriots, however, are struggling, having lost five straight games, including a 102-82 loss to West Texas A&M on Dec. 20.

Davion Allen leads the Patriots with 13.1 points per game. Zion Bourgeois averages 11.5 points, and Marcel Dalcourt is scoring 11.4 points and grabbing 6.4 rebounds per game.

--Field Level Media