You already knew this, but collegiate athletics are a mess — and it’s hard to say they’re even collegiate athletics anymore. What started as portal chaos and eligibility chaos with players getting seven or eight years to suit up thanks to COVID seasons and redshirts then became the Wild Wild West with NIL and pay-for-play, schools giving high school recruits and transfers millions upon millions with no pushback from the NCAA. Revenue-sharing is supposed to help with some of the financial ridiculousness in a slow transition back to legitimate NIL, but with no rules (and certainly no threat of punishment), it’s all still the same.
Then came the next wave of nonsense in the form of pros finding loopholes back to college basketball, headlined by Baylor’s James Nnaji — the No. 31 overall draft pick in 2023 — joining the Bears with immediate eligibility this season. Oklahoma also added a Russian pro center at the semester break while Utah did the same with a Spanish pro guard, BYU going down a slightly different path by adding a G-Leaguer with 54 pro games under his belt.
All taking the floor as we speak, schools using the holiday break like the fantasy football waiver wire.
It was taken to another level when players with actual NBA experience began fielding interest from colleges in recent weeks, despite being clearly ineligible according to current NCAA rules — but pushing boundaries to see where the line will be drawn, if there is one at all. The NCAA didn’t help itself with its statement released to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 on Monday.
“Schools are recruiting and seeking eligibility for more individuals with more international, semi-pro and professional experience than ever before and while the NCAA members have updated many rules following the House injunction, more rules must likely be updated to reflect the choices member schools are making.
“At the same time, NCAA eligibility rules have been invalidated by judges across the country wreaking havoc on the system and leading to fewer opportunities for high school students, which is why the Association is asking Congress to intervene in these challenges.”
In other words, ‘it’s not technically allowed, but there is nothing we can do to stop any of it without getting sued. So, whatever, I guess.’
Schools that even considered flirting with the idea of signing current pros are shaking in their boots at that messaging, surely. Or salvating, in all reality — because it’s about to be open season.
What is Kentucky’s stance under Mark Pope when navigating these unknown waters with zero clarity, especially with agents of players on two-way deals in the NBA already saying they’ve heard from the Wildcats?
For starters, don’t believe everything you read on the internet, Pope says.
He was asked specifically about reports of Kentucky being involved with NBA players, but also used that opportunity to make a broader point about recruiting reporting in general.
“It’s got to be in the high 80 percent of things, of trend lines, that you see on social media about Kentucky recruiting that is just so wrong. It is just so off, but it’s beautiful. I mean, it’s beautiful. We’re shocked and surprised a lot of times to hear different variations and directions and stories,” Pope said during his call-in radio show Monday evening. “I think a lot of times people put information out just because they’re trying to raise their own profile, whether it’s agents or players or they’re trying to increase their negotiating leverage, with us in some cases or with some other school in some cases. There’s so much out there publicly, and we just kind of shake our heads and be like, ‘Man, it’s just — we’re living in a uniquely interesting world in terms of how creative reporting in general on social media and as a body is right now.’
“We’re always going to do our recruiting work and we’ll search every avenue there is to search, but it’s one of the beautiful things about being at Kentucky, man. Everybody’s talking a lot about it — very little of it is accurate, but it’s fun.”
Now that he got that out of the way, will the Wildcats actually pursue any of these guys? Pope says it’s a conversation he never thought he’d actually have, whether we’re talking about guys in the G League or on active two-way contracts or those drafted and everything in between.
Does he agree with it? That doesn’t matter, necessarily — because it’s his job to build competitive rosters within the rules. If the rules change or operating in the gray era is not only welcomed, but necessary for those truly serious about winning at the highest level, he has to consider everything.
At minimum, though, coaches need answers on what rules to follow, because the current system isn’t working.
“It really is an interesting time, it’s a fascinating time. The thought right now that we could be taking players from some station in the NBA and that have actually played in NBA games and been drafted by the NBA and come play in college is just — it’s a place that none of us imagined we would be three months ago,” Pope continued. “I think that it was beyond assumed that if you had played in NBA games, or if you’d been drafted, that there was going to be no space for you in the college game. And clearly, that’s all changing so fast — which is exciting.
“I mean it. I don’t know that we’re in a space to have much opinion on whether it’s right or wrong, because you can debate those ideas from now until forever, and they’re actually really complicated solutions, probably, that would have to take place. But it just is, it’s a really dynamic space right now. It is. It is problematic in a lot of complicated ways for college basketball, and we’re gonna have to find some answers.”
John Calipari goes on a seven-minute rant about current recruiting landscape
Pope just wants to know the rules he needs to follow when recruiting players, but Coach Cal is adamant about drawing a line in the sand on professionals vs. student-athletes.
In other words, the rules they have to follow need to be the right rules.
He went on a seven-minute rant about all of it following Arkansas’ win over James Madison on Monday, saying he doesn’t blame coaches for pursuing and signing these guys — he blames leadership for not making things black and white to protect the integrity of the sport.
“Well, look, I don’t blame coaches because I’ve got friends who are playing with 27-year-olds and they feel bad,” Calipari said. “Don’t feel bad. We don’t have any rules. Why should you feel bad? But, let me give you this. Real simple. The rules be the rules. If you put your name in the (NBA) Draft, I don’t care if you’re from Russia. If you stay in the draft, you can’t play college basketball. ‘Well that’s only for American kids.’ What? If your name is in that draft and you got drafted, you can’t play college basketball.
“… If he puts his name in the draft, you can’t go to college. He left his name in.”
The rant also included his own ideas about eligibility, paying players, prioritizing high school recruits over pros — and all of the other stuff going on in Coach Cal’s brain.
“I wish you wouldn’t have asked me that question,” he joked to put a bow on his miniature speech.
John Calipari goes OFF for nearly SEVEN MINUTES about current state of college athletics & the Trentyn Flowers story in CBB. I haven’t seen him this fired up in a press conference…ever? pic.twitter.com/oEjuuXPWIu
— John Nabors (@JohnNaborsShow) December 30, 2025
I personally liked his, “What’s the percentage of players who go pro? One percent? Well, unless you play for me.”
Calipari and his ABCs — Always Be Crootin’.