Current NBA Player Trentyn Flowers Drawing College Interest As NCAA Faces Eligibility Meltdown. This Is Absurd

Just when you thought college athletics could not get any crazier as it pertains to eligibility and NCAA rules, Trentyn Flowers of the Chicago Bulls comes along to test things even further. 

The college basketball world is already reeling from last week's NCAA ruling allowing 21-year-old James Nnaji four years of eligibility to enroll at Baylor last week. That came after Nnaji had already competed professionally overseas after being selected 31st in the 2023 NBA Draft. 

Now we've got Flowers, currently on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls and looking to be allowed to enroll in college as a mid-season addition. If that happens, the NCAA will open up a massive tube of toothpaste that they cannot push back in. 

Right now, it seems as though the NCAA is willing to grant these G-league players, and potentially NBA players, eligibility if it means they will avoid a lawsuit pertaining to antitrust laws. So, this means they are hellbent on also avoiding further headlines that might portray them in a negative light. 

NCAA Making Up Rules On The Fly: Pavia’s Lawsuit Filing Cites Stunning Eligibility Decision With James Nnaji

All the while, there are current college athletes suing the NCAA in hopes of changing the rules pertaining to players not being penalized on their eligibility clock for competing at the JUCO level. This current litigation was brought forth by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, along with 25 other athletes that include Tennessee's Joey Aguilar. 

But, if the NCAA allows this next move to happen, the floodgates will essentially be opened for LeBron James to take a stab at college basketball. I'm only half kidding with that comparison. 

Kentucky, Michigan And Others Interested In Trentyn Flowers

I want to be clear that there is a very distinct difference between receiving interest from college programs compared to actually being deemed eligible to play. 

This news regarding Flowers was first reported by Joe Tipton of On3. 

Some background: Flowers had committed to Louisville out of high school, but then decided college wasn't the best route for him so he started his professional career in Australia, where he played for the Adelaide 36ers. 

After going undrafted during the 2024 NBA Draft, Flowers signed a two-way deal with the Clippers. After being waived by Los Angeles, he was signed to another two-way deal, this time with the Chicago Bulls, where he has participated in eight NBA games so far. 

To make this whole ordeal even crazier, Flowers actually played for the Bulls during their December 7th game against the Golden State Warriors, where he scored four points. 

So, essentially, this is a current NBA player that is drawing interest from current college basketball programs, which is mind-blowing to actually say out loud. 

Now, the NCAA has not deemed him eligible to play. But, with recent decisions being made by the organization regarding G-league players being cleared to play college basketball, nothing would surprise us any longer. 

But, if there are colleges like Kentucky, Michigan, Florida and others willing to take a look at Flowers, they must feel like a case could be made for him to enroll at the collegiate level for the first time. 

If you want chaos, have the NCAA allow an actual current NBA player to suit up mid-season for a college basketball program. 

We have officially lost our collective minds in collegiate athletics. Heck, we might as well take a chance on curent NFL practice squad players regaining another year of eligibility in college football. 

Heck, let's just allow any player who skipped college for the NBA to be granted a few years of eligibility.  

Welcome to the new era, where the NCAA is doing its best to avoid a court room, so they are handing out opportunities like a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.