Sankey's Stand Against the Pro-to-College Pipeline
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The SEC Commissioner is fighting to preserve collegiate integrity, but the case of RJ Luis suggests the amateurism model is under siege.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is attempting to hold the line on collegiate amateurism, but he is fighting a tide that feels inevitable. As first reported by CBS Sports, Sankey urged Judge Ronald Johnson to uphold NCAA rules that bar professional athletes from returning to college sports in a recent affidavit filed in an East Baton Rouge Parish court.
Sankey's argument, as reported by CBS Sports, is rooted in fairness. He claims that allowing former pros back into the fold creates a "competitive disadvantage" and "fundamental unfairness" for student-athletes who stayed committed to the collegiate model. To Sankey, these restrictions are "essential to the integrity of college sports."
However, the practical reality is playing out in the case of RJ Luis. The former St. John's star and current LSU basketball player is seeking a preliminary injunction to play during the 2026-27 season. According to CBS Sports, Luis signed an NBA two-way deal with the Utah Jazz and was later traded to the Boston Celtics before the 2025-26 season. While he appeared in three preseason games, he was waived by the Maine Celtics due to injury without playing in a regular-season NBA or G League game.
Sankey has been on this beat before. CBS Sports notes that in February, the commissioner filed a similar affidavit regarding former Alabama center Charles Bediako, who played five SEC games after a G League stint before being ruled ineligible.
In my view, Sankey is fighting a losing battle. The attempt to keep players like Luis out of the game is a desperate effort to maintain a version of amateurism we've spent decades pretending to uphold. As more players test the professional waters and seek a return path, the traditional model isn't just cracking—it's breaking.