Oregon Ducks men’s basketball star N’Faly Dante was denied an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA this week, and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas is not at all happy about it.
Dante was seeking an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA to return this upcoming season because he only appeared in six games during the 2020-21 season. But that waiver has been denied, and Jay Bilas is furious, calling the decision “simply outrageous.”
“The NCAA’s treatment of Oregon’s N’Faly Dante is simply outrageous,” Bilas said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter. “This young man is EVERYTHING the NCAA claims it wants in an athlete. Dante has been injured throughout his career, and has played two full seasons less than players like Armando Bacot, yet he’s denied an additional year due to injury, ending his career. Absurd.
The NCAA’s treatment of Oregon’s N’Faly Dante is simply outrageous. This young man is EVERYTHING the NCAA claims it wants in an athlete. Dante has been injured throughout his career, and has played two full seasons less than players like Armando Bacot, yet he’s denied an… pic.twitter.com/m5sEFRyWFc
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) May 30, 2024
“Dante is a model athlete and person, wants to come back to play and advance his education, and has never asked his school for anything. When the NCAA says ‘athlete welfare,’ it rings hollow. The NCAA needs to do the right thing…allow Dante his additional year. Immediately.”
Dante averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for Oregon last season. He is set to appeal the decision from the NCAA.
