NCAA Declares Six Players Permanently Ineligible After Betting Scheme — What Happens Next?

The NCAA’s latest enforcement action has placed a harsh spotlight on game integrity in college basketball, after six men’s basketball players across three programs were permanently ruled ineligible for their roles in betting-related misconduct. The most visible figure in the scandal is former University of New Orleans guard Cedquavious “Dae Dae” Hunter, who has since publicly admitted that he intentionally played below his ability to influence betting outcomes.[1]

According to the NCAA’s November release, the violations centered on a series of games during the 2024–25 season in which Hunter and two teammates, Dyquavian Short and Jamond Vincent, coordinated with bettors and manipulated their on-court performance. Investigators found messages discussing payments and point spreads, including communications suggesting the players were incentivized to lose or to lose by more than the betting line.[2] The misconduct was not limited to New Orleans. Mississippi Valley State players Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic, along with Arizona State’s Chatton “BJ” Freeman, were found to have provided betting information to outside parties or to have misled investigators during the inquiry.[3]

The NCAA responded with its most severe penalty: permanent loss of eligibility for all six players. It is a punishment reserved for the gravest integrity breaches and signals just how seriously the association has begun treating gambling-related violations. Hunter later reinforced the NCAA’s findings when he went on national television and described the financial pressures he faced as a young father. He admitted he sometimes shot the ball “without actually trying to make it,” framing his actions as a misguided attempt to support his family, while believing the university was not providing meaningful financial resources.[4]

The broader implications of this case extend well beyond the NCAA rulebook. With legalized sports betting now deeply integrated into the American sports landscape, integrity threats that once seemed exceptional have become recurring compliance concerns. Colleges face increasing expectations to monitor athlete behavior, educate players on sports-wagering rules, and detect suspicious betting activity. A single integrity lapse may expose an entire athletic department to reputational damage, and the New Orleans case follows a year in which more than a dozen athletes across multiple sports and schools were implicated in betting-related incidents.[5]

This situation also raises a question that is more complicated than it initially appears: does permanent NCAA ineligibility for game manipulation effectively foreclose the possibility of an NBA career? The short legal answer is no, the NCAA cannot ban a player from entering the NBA draft. Professional eligibility is governed entirely by league rules, and as long as a player meets the NBA’s age and draft-entry requirements, NCAA sanctions do not directly control his professional future.

But the practical reality is far less optimistic for the athletes involved. NBA teams conduct extensive background evaluations, and game-fixing, especially intentional underperformance for gambling purposes, is regarded as one of the most serious violations an athlete can commit. Historically, players connected to point-shaving scandals have been effectively barred from the league; several athletes involved in the 1951 college basketball point-shaving scandal, for example, never played professionally after the NBA refused to sign them.[6] Even without an explicit rule, the reputational, legal, and compliance risks associated with signing a player implicated in match manipulation make it unlikely that teams would consider any of the six athletes viable prospects.

This situation serves as a reminder that the line between college sports and the rapidly growing sports-betting industry is thinner than ever. As wagering becomes increasingly accessible, the incentives and pressures placed on student-athletes grow just as quickly. The six players at the center of this investigation now face consequences that extend well beyond their college programs.

Whether professional leagues should adopt clear rules that mirror NCAA integrity sanctions is a debate that will only intensify as these issues continue to surface. For now, the reality is stark: once an athlete becomes tied to game manipulation, the damage to their credibility may be irreversible. And in a system where trust forms the foundation of competition, credibility is often the one thing no league, college or professional, can afford to compromise.

[1] NCAA rules on eligibility of six college players for throwing games, Reuters (Nov. 7, 2025).

[2] Id.

[3] Id.

[4] Ex-college basketball player admits role in point-shaving scheme, ESPN (Nov. 14, 2025).

[5] NCAA men’s basketball betting investigation, ESPN (2025).

[6] See generally: NBA historical bans following college point-shaving scandals.