Ex-Buckeye Trolls NCAA As Major European League Takes Advantage of Bizarre Rule

The NCAA released a new rule which a former Ohio State star seemed keen to take advantage of.

Mar 30, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Deshaun Thomas (1) shoots against the Wichita State Shockers during the first half of the finals of the West regional of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

The NCAA landscape has changed drastically now, and one former Ohio State Buckeye has decided to take advantage of it.

A new eligibility requirement was distributed earlier this month, primarily regarding compensation and professional team involvement, specifically for leagues outside the U.S. This means players who are still eligible for college but have played professionally in Europe could still enrol and sign for an NCAA team.

According to NCAA rules, athletes can make a case for college eligibility if they maintain an “amateur status” for less than five years after they graduate from high school. This new rule has led to widespread criticism and some confusion amongst coaches around the college game.

With no one fully aware of who can actually play in the NCAA right now, and professionals taking advantage of loopholes to return to the college game, one former star decided to make his own statement.

DeShaun Thomas announces his comeback to the Buckeyes … or has he?

With April Fools now resigned to next year, Thomas decided to troll the controversial new rule by announcing his return to OSU for the one year of eligibility he has left.

Thomas averaged 19.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 35.4 minutes during his junior year with Ohio State, which he played from 2010 to 2013. He started in all 27 games as a first-team All-Big Ten player.

After 16 seasons, I’ll officially be returning to The Ohio State University with 1 year of eligibility left. 😂🌰

Man… after a great conversation with Coach Diebler, I’m excited to announce I’ll be coming back home to suit up for the Buckeyes one more time. After a long career… pic.twitter.com/krRt8QL3NF

— DeShaun Thomas (@Deshaunthomas_0) May 21, 2026

Thomas left the Buckeyes after his junior year but never made it to the NBA, instead enjoying a solid career in Europe, most notably playing for French side ASVEL, which is owned by former San Antonio Spurs icon Tony Parker.

It must also be noted that Thomas is now 34-years-old, and his mock announcement comes 16 years after he last donned the Ohio State uniform.

EuroLeague taking advantage

The EuroLeague, widely considered the top league in the world outside the NBA, has a collective bargaining agreement with a minimum post-tax remuneration of $58,000 for first-year players.

But in recent weeks, several EuroLeague youngsters committed to college programs for next season, including Quinn Ellis (St. John’s), Saliou Niang (LSU), Márcio Santos (LSU) and Mantas Rubštavičius (Auburn). They all agreed to reported seven-figure deals involving NIL and revenue sharing with their new colleges, according to sources familiar with their recruitment. 

This new rule could also be damaging to potential new stars outside the USA, coming through top schools looking to recruit upcoming professionals rather than emerging players coming through their junior systems, with Serbia, Spain, and even down to Great Britain affected.

But for Thomas, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, he might be fair game to return … even though it’s in jest.