Dennis Gates Weighs in On Eligibility Issues Facing College Athletics

Missouri's head coach gave his thoughts on two former professional basketball players being granted additional collegiate eligibility.

Dennis Gates gestures during the Braggin Rights game | Sam Simon/MissouriOnSI

Missouri head coach Dennis Gates believes that the conversation surrounding college athletics needs to stop "pretending" that academic timelines define eligibility.

Just like the NFL can't seem to figure out what exactly it considers a catch, college athletics, specifically with men's basketball, can't seem to figure out what exactly the standards are for eligibility in the era of NIL.

In December, Baylor center James Nnaji was cleared by a judge to be reinstated in college athletics despite being selected in the 2023 NBA draft and playing professionally for three seasons in Europe.

This week, the SEC became directly involved in the conversation, with Alabama center Charles Bediako being granted a temporary, 10-day restraining order against the NCAA, allowing him to play for the Crimson Tide. Bediako played for the Crimson Tide for two seasons before playing professionally over the last three years.

Bediako's situation will gain more clarity in an official hearing on Jan. 27, the same day Alabama will host Missouri.

Mar 11, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Kobe Brown (24) has his shot blocked by Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (14) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Players in these specific circumstances of returning to collegiate athletics after signing with professional basketball teams is unprecedented. But, Gates doesn't see it as a completely new concept. Though, his experiences with similar situations aren't 1:1 comparisons.

"I've had college teammates," Gates said, "who signed professional contracts before, and they signed them. They just happened to be in FIBA. That's all. And between now and then, some of these contracts have never surfaced. Some of these contracts you could not ever get a hold of because there was no collaboration with FIBA and NCAA. Even as a coach, I've coached kids who signed professional contracts in other sports. It's what it is."

Gates also mentioned having former teammates and players who have served in the Armed Forces before becoming student-athletes. Plus, a former player who was under contract with the MLB while playing college basketball.

"The non-traditional student in our game has always been there and always have been accepted, and we're just in a time of change," Gates said. "And whenever you're in a time of change, and there's a glass window looking at the changes, sometimes the things appear a little bit more harsh than what they are. But when you do restoration and rehab behind the scenes, and you can have a makeover of a profession or a game or recruiting, whatever it is. It all comes at once, and then you don't see as many, or you don't get hit with so many opinions about how the changes are impacting."

While Gates sees the situation as an adjustment, other coaches see it as an existential threat to college athletics.

"Does anybody care what this is doing for 17-and 18-year-old American kids?" Arkansas coach John Calipari said in December, reacting to the ruling for Nnaji. "Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There aren't going to be any high school kids. Who other than dumb people like me are going to recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction out of coaching young kids and seeing them grow and make it — and their family and life changes — that I'm going to keep doing it. But why would anybody else, if you can get NBA players, G-League players, guys that are 28 years old, guys from Europe?"

For common ground with Calipari, Gates posed the question as to why any player would want to leave college athletics when being compensated, unless they can feel certain their professional earnings would be greater than their NIL value. NIL compensation has changed every part of how collegiate athletics operates.

"Education was once the anchor of college athletics," Gates said. "Now it's an incidental addition to college athletics. It's not the same."

What's possibly most alarming and unsettling about the recent situations involving eligibility is the lack of consistency and precedent established. The fact that the judge who granted Bediako the restraining order against the NCAA was a six-figure donor to Alabama's athletics program speaks to the ways the system is seemingly being taken advantage of. More importantly, actual rules seem to be a rarity for college athletics at this moment.

Gates does see a light at the end of the tunnel though.

'We're in changing times," Gates said. 'That's all it is. And we'll get to the other side of it. And sometimes thing things have to seem worse before advocacy and changes and leadership takes place."