By JAMES MADDEN
The 31st overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft – James Nnaji – has joined Baylor’s roster, it was announced on Wednesday. Nnaji is set to join the roster after Baylor head coach Scott Drew announced that Juslin Bodo Bodo will miss the remainder of the season with an arm injury.
Nnaji – the seven-foot center, spent four seasons in the EuroLeague and is a native of Nigeria.
“James (Nnaji) is a really talented young player with a ton of potential, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Baylor Family,” Drew said. “Any time you add someone to the roster midseason, it’s going to be a process to get them acclimated and up to speed, but we know James (Nnaji) will do everything he can to make it a seamless transition. 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.”
James Nnaji is a massive midseason addition for Baylor: 7’0”, 251 pounds with a 7’7” wingspan.
The 21-year-old spent three seasons in the EuroLeague with Barcelona and appeared with the Knicks in Summer League last July. Here he is training with Serge Ibaka in 2023. https://t.co/0hnoOiTV9f pic.twitter.com/QSe3vfe5Vu— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 24, 2025
Nnaji spent the 2024-25 playing for Girona in Spain and averaged 5.3 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game.
The commitment comes after a multitude of coaches around the nation have voiced their displeasure with the current direction of college basketball recruiting.
With more teams looking to add to their rosters for the upcoming spring semester, it remains to be seen how many other teams will target international players in recruiting.
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