Since NIL came into the picture, we’ve seen some wild things in college sports. Yes, players are finally getting paid for their own brand, but player movement from one program to another has started to tilt the whole system. Even then, you still don’t see moves like the one Kyree Walker just pulled off.

Who is Kyree Walker, and what was his recruiting status?

Walker is an American professional basketball player who suits up for the Nalaikh Bison in The League, Mongolia’s top men’s professional basketball competition.

Also, remember the 2020 recruiting class? The one headlined by names like Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Cade Cunningham? Well, Kyree Walker was right there, too. He committed to Arizona State over several other Division I offers and, at the time, was seen as a five-star recruit and a top-five player in the class by major recruiting services.

But on October 21, 2018, Walker decommitted from Arizona State. Then, in April 2020, while playing for Hillcrest Prep Academy, the former five-star, by then rated as a four-star recruit, announced that he would forego college basketball altogether.

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Why did Kyree Walker skip college earlier in his career?

Naturally, the big question was why. And the answer is pretty simple. Back then, NIL wasn’t a thing yet. It only came into effect in 2021, and before that, college players had no way to make money. So, for many prospects, the G League made more sense. It offered a paycheck and a more direct path to prepare for the pros, instead of spending years in college without any income.

In fact, that’s exactly what Jalen Green did when he chose the NBA G League Ignite route. And Walker, who had more than 18 Division I offers from big-time programs like Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, and UCLA, decided it was best for him to join Chameleon BX, a specialized 12-month training program built for elite high school prospects instead of going to college.

What has Kyree Walker been doing since leaving the NBA draft path?

That move didn’t pay off the way he hoped. Walker went undrafted in 2021 and had to start his pro journey with the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards.

Since then, Walker’s career has taken him all over the world. He’s had stints in Greece with Aias Evosmou, in Canada with the Scarborough Shooting Stars and the Ottawa BlackJacks, and back in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He is currently in Mongolia, where he previously spent time with the IHC Apes before eventually landing with the Nalaikh Bison.

And if this report from SportsCenter Next is to be believed, Kyree Walker is now exploring a return to college basketball. He’s said to be immediately available and is looking to enroll and suit up as early as next semester.

How is Kyree Walker now eligible to join an NCAA roster?

Walker is already 25 and has played pro basketball all over the world, so the big question is, why college now? Well, he wouldn’t be the first to try it. Just recently, guard T.J. Clark, who spent time with the Texas Legends in the G League, made the jump back to the college level and committed to Ole Miss. And he’s not alone.

BYU recently brought in center Abdullah Ahmed, Louisville picked up London Johnson, and Santa Clara added Thierry Darlan, both coming from the G League Ignite program, showing this path back to college is becoming more common.

Whether he’s actually eligible to play will be up to the NCAA, but it’s clear there’s a growing belief this move could become real, and programs are already lining up and shaping their plans to recruit him.

Which NCAA teams are reportedly pursuing Kyree Walker?

Walker won’t be short of suitors either. According to a report from The Basketball Tribune, schools already showing interest include Ole Miss, Louisville, Texas Tech, Valparaiso, Temple, Campbell, Alabama A&M, UTEP, Youngstown State, Fresno State, Tennessee, Howard, Rutgers, Michigan, and Missouri.