FULL STORY FROM SPORTICO – By Michael McCann
Key Takeaways
- Thierry Darlan, a 21-year-old who played 58 G League games over two seasons, will be eligible to play two Division I seasons at Santa Clara
- The decision contrasts with the NCAA’s 2010 denial of Enes Kanter Freedom, who was ruled ineligible after receiving more than $30,000 from a Euroleague team
- Former Overtime Elite players Matt and Ryan Bewley were denied NCAA eligibility in 2023-24, highlighting inconsistent application of professional compensation rules
- U.S. colleges face a 15% decline in traditional-age students due to reduced birthrates beginning in 2008, potentially influencing more flexible eligibility policies
- Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin played for Real Madrid before competing at BYU in 2024-25, demonstrating pathways for international players with professional experience
Former Professional Earns NCAA Eligibility
ESPN reports that Thierry Darlan, a 6-foot-8 guard from the Central African Republic, will play Division I basketball at Santa Clara after spending two seasons with the NBA G League Ignite. Darlan, 21, appeared in 58 games from 2023 to 2025, averaging 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
The NCAA declined to comment on Darlan’s specific case, consistent with its policy of not discussing individual eligibility determinations. According to ESPN, Darlan’s two G League seasons will count against his four years of NCAA eligibility, leaving him two seasons of Division I competition.
The decision represents a departure from strict amateurism principles that historically barred athletes who accepted compensation beyond “actual and necessary” expenses while competing professionally. The NCAA’s eligibility framework allows former professional athletes to retain college eligibility if their compensation remained within these limits, though the application of this standard has varied across cases and sports.
Contrasting Eligibility Outcomes
Fifteen years ago, the NCAA denied Enes Kanter Freedom eligibility to play at Kentucky. Kanter Freedom, a Turkish national who competed in the Euroleague as a teenager, declined his salary in an attempt to preserve college eligibility. The NCAA determined he received more than $30,000 from his professional team that exceeded actual and necessary expenses. Then-Kentucky coach John Calipari criticized the decision as harsh. Kanter Freedom subsequently played 11 NBA seasons without competing in college.
More recently, twin brothers Matt and Ryan Bewley were denied eligibility to play at Chicago State in 2023-24 after competing in Overtime Elite. The NCAA concluded they received employment benefits that disqualified them from Division I competition. The brothers sued the NCAA, arguing their Overtime Elite compensation should be classified as name, image, and likeness (NIL) earnings. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman disagreed, ruling that NIL refers to commercial use of an athlete’s right of publicity and that college sports offers a distinct product.
Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin, selected eighth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, joined Real Madrid at age 15 in 2021 on a six-year contract. Through an NIL deal and by facilitating a buyout of Demin’s Real Madrid contract, BYU recruited him to play in the 2024-25 academic year. Demin was deemed NCAA eligible because his Real Madrid compensation was limited to what the NCAA classified as actual and necessary expenses.
Expanded Eligibility Beyond Basketball
Last year, the NCAA ended its ban on Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players. The ban classified CHL athletes as professionals despite monthly compensation not exceeding $600, money designated for living expenses rather than wages or NIL. Ontario hockey player Rylan Masterson sued the NCAA in 2024, arguing the CHL ban violated antitrust law and was inconsistent given that former professional hockey players from European leagues had joined NCAA teams. Masterson cited BU defenseman Tom Willander, who played professionally in Sweden before competing in college. The lawsuit, which seeks monetary damages, remains active.
The legal distinction between G League and NBA employment is not immediately clear. G League players sign employment contracts, earn wages, receive benefits, and belong to the Next Gen Basketball Players Union, a unionized workforce. Under labor law, unions represent employees rather than independent contractors or other non-employee classifications. While NBA players earn significantly more than G League players, these represent skill level and compensation differences rather than fundamental legal distinctions regarding employment status.
Enrollment Pressures and Policy Shifts
U.S. colleges are experiencing what administrators call the “enrollment cliff,” an approximately 15% decline in college-age students resulting from reduced U.S. birthrates that began in 2008. This demographic shift has intensified competition among universities for a smaller applicant pool, reducing revenue from tuition, housing, and meal plans.
Additional financial pressure comes from the Trump Administration’s cuts to research grants, stricter requirements for international students who often pay full tuition, and limited student loan opportunities. Universities are responding by recruiting non-traditional students, including older, commuter, and part-time enrollees.
The House settlement allowing direct revenue-sharing from schools to athletes, combined with NIL opportunities, has created financial incentives for athletes to remain in or join college programs. Last year, 24-year-old Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia filed an antitrust lawsuit to extend his college eligibility beyond the traditional four-season, five-year limit. Similar lawsuits have followed, with athletes seeking to maintain college eligibility as graduate students while earning through NIL deals and revenue sharing.
Since 2006, NBA draft rules have required players to be at least 19 years old with at least one NBA season elapsed since high school graduation. Between 1975 and 2005, 40 players, including LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Tracy McGrady, entered the NBA directly from high school. Current collegiate golfer J.R. Smith, who played 18 NBA seasons, was among them.
Many NBA players have bypassed college and could theoretically seek NCAA eligibility later. The NBA reported 125 international players from 43 countries across six continents on opening night last year. Many international players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, and Jonathan Kuminga, did not attend college. Recent U.S. players have also taken alternative paths. Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball played in three professional leagues before being selected third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green played for NBA G League Ignite before being picked second overall in 2021.
Potential Impact on High School Player Decisions
The Darlan decision creates a different risk calculation for high school basketball players evaluating professional opportunities. Previously, accepting payment to play professionally typically meant forfeiting NCAA eligibility. The possibility of competing professionally and later gaining college eligibility could influence how players and their advisors weigh immediate professional contracts against traditional college routes.
Players who enter professional leagues as teenagers and do not secure desired outcomes could potentially pursue college basketball, where NIL and revenue sharing opportunities are available. However, the NCAA’s inconsistent approach to eligibility determinations creates uncertainty. While Darlan gained approval after G League experience, the Bewley twins were denied after playing in Overtime Elite.
Without clear, published criteria for what constitutes acceptable professional compensation under the “actual and necessary expenses” standard, high school players considering professional development paths face questions about whether college eligibility will remain possible. The NCAA’s case-by-case review process means individual circumstances may yield different outcomes.
Strategic Implications for College Athletics
The Darlan decision could affect eligibility policies beyond basketball. College soccer could potentially recruit former MLS and international league players. College baseball programs might pursue former MLB players, particularly international athletes who joined professional organizations without attending college.
Universities already accept former child actors in theater programs and former professional musicians in music departments without restricting their participation in university productions or scholarship eligibility. Former Indiana kick returner Lance Bennett worked as a songwriter for Will Smith while playing for the Hoosiers. YouTube and TikTok influencers, including Livvy Dunne, have earned income before and during college enrollment.
The convergence of NIL opportunities, revenue sharing, demographic pressures, and legal challenges to traditional eligibility limits continues to reshape NCAA policies. As universities compete for enrollment and athletic programs seek talent, the line between professional and amateur athletics has become less distinct.
photo: NBA G LEAGUE IG
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