SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Defends NCAA Ban on Pro-Returns
AI-generated image · US National Wire
In a court filing, Sankey argues that allowing former professional athletes to return to college sports creates 'fundamental unfairness.'
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is urging a Louisiana judge to uphold NCAA regulations that prohibit professional athletes from returning to collegiate competition, as CBS Sports first reported. In an affidavit filed in East Baton Rouge Parish court, Sankey told Judge Ronald Johnson that maintaining these rules is "essential to the integrity of college sports."
Sankey's legal stance comes as RJ Luis, a former St. John's player and current member of the LSU basketball team, seeks to play during the 2026-27 season. As reported by CBS Sports, Luis declared for the 2025 NBA Draft and signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Boston Celtics. While Luis appeared in three preseason games for the Celtics, he was waived by the Maine Celtics due to injury and never played in a regular-season NBA or G League game.
Sankey argued in the filing that permitting former professionals to return creates a "competitive disadvantage" for student-athletes who remained committed to the collegiate model. This is not the first time Sankey has taken this position; CBS Sports notes he filed a similar affidavit in February regarding former Alabama center Charles Bediako, who was ruled ineligible after a stint in the G League.
Luis filed for a preliminary injunction on Aug. 3, with a hearing scheduled for Monday. The move follows a class-wide preliminary injunction granted in Colorado earlier this month for the 2022 high school class. Meanwhile, LSU coach Will Wade is managing a roster with only four players currently guaranteed eligible for the season, though the program recently added former UCLA guard Skyy Clark.