INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Cabinet will consider proposed changes to eligibility rules that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college. The Academics and Eligibility Committee proposed the changes on Wednesday, and the Cabinet could take action within weeks.

If approved, the new rules would be effective for athletes entering college this fall. One proposal would require prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to align pre-college enrollment draft rules with post-college enrollment draft rules. Men's ice hockey and baseball athletes would not be affected because they do not opt in to those sports' drafts.

The proposal followed two basketball players — Charles Bediako of Alabama and James Nnaji of Baylor — who played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft. Bediako played two seasons at Alabama, entered the draft in 2023, was not selected, and then played three years in the G League. He filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after it denied a request to allow him to return to collegiate competition this season. His lawyers argued in court filings that he remained within his five-year college eligibility window.

A judge issued a temporary restraining order allowing Bediako to play while the case moved forward. The judge later recused himself from the case. Bediako played in five games before another judge lifted the temporary restraining order. The Alabama Supreme Court upheld the decision lifting the order.

Nnaji, who is from Nigeria, was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft. He played professionally overseas before enrolling as a freshman at Baylor in December. Nnaji was granted college eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League.

The committee also proposed allowing prospects to sign with agents prior to enrolling in college. Under current NCAA rules, prospects may sign with agents only for name, image and likeness purposes, with exceptions for baseball and hockey players who can enter agreements with agents if they are drafted. The committee additionally proposed allowing athletes to accept prize money in their respective sports without affecting eligibility. Current rules permit prospects to accept prize money only up to actual and necessary expenses, except in tennis, which permits up to $10,000.

"These proposed changes reflect ongoing work by Division I members to modernize our rules to align with the current era of college sports," said Josh Whitman, the Illinois athletic director and chair of the Division I Cabinet.

"As Division I members proceed with reviewing all eligibility rules in the months ahead, our focus will be establishing rules that have objective criteria that can be consistently applied for both prospects and current student-athletes," Whitman said.