NBA players largely agree: Once you’re a pro, there should be no going back to college

The rules around basketball careers are starting to blur. The opinions inside NBA locker rooms are not.

As legal challenges pile up and eligibility loopholes widen, a growing question has followed. Should players who have already gone pro be allowed to return to college basketball?

According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the answer from most NBA players is simple and firm. And it is no.

During All-Star Weekend, Vardon polled a dozen players on the issue. Ten rejected the idea outright, arguing that professional status should be a one-way street.

“I think there should be boundaries for sure,” the Nets’ Egor Demin said. “If you play the game in the NBA, that probably makes no sense. It’s kinda unfair to the other guys.”

Demin’s view carries extra weight. He played professionally in Spain before coming to the United States to play college basketball at BYU, a path long permitted for international players. Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner followed similar routes after playing for Germany’s Alba Berlin before starring at Michigan.

American players have not traditionally been given that same flexibility.

That disparity is now being challenged. Charles Bediako returned to Alabama after spending three years in the G League, appearing in five games before a court overturned a temporary ruling that allowed him to play.

Amari Bailey, who played games in the NBA, is attempting to regain college eligibility. Baylor’s James Nnaji and Louisville’s London Johnson followed unconventional paths as well.

Most NBA players remain unmoved.

“There’s a reason why they call you a pro,” the Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells said. “When you’re in college, you’re not a pro.”

The Hawks’ Jalen Johnson added that declaring for the draft is a clear signal. To him, going back takes opportunity away from younger players still trying to be seen.

There were a few dissenting voices. Kyshawn George of the Wizards asked, “Why not?” Raptors rookie Alijah Martin shrugged it off with, “To each his own.”

The courts are still sorting it out. Since a 2024 federal ruling involving former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, the NCAA has faced more than 50 eligibility lawsuits, with mixed results.

Inside the NBA, though, the stance is clear.

Once you cross the line into the professional game, most players believe there should be no path back.