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New NCAA Eligibility Rule Leaves Kansas Center Paul Mbiya With One Less Year
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- New NCAA Eligibility Rule Leaves Kansas Center Paul Mbiya With One Less Year
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New NCAA Eligibility Rule Leaves Kansas Center Paul Mbiya With One Less Year
Kansas center Paul Mbiya will have one fewer season of collegiate eligibility than many expected following the NCAA's recently adopted "five-in-five" eligibility model.
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The updated rule, which took effect this offseason, gives athletes five seasons to compete within a five-year window that begins when they first enroll in college or, for some international athletes, the academic year after they turn 19. While the change simplifies many of the NCAA's previous eligibility rules, it also affects some international players who competed professionally before arriving in the United States. Mbiya is one of those players.
After being listed as a sophomore following his first season at Kansas, the 7-foot center is now classified as a junior on the Jayhawks' official roster. Before enrolling at KU, Mbiya spent the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons playing for ASVEL's U21 team and in France's top professional league.
Because those seasons now count toward his eligibility timeline under the NCAA's new rules, Mbiya is no longer projected to have four years of college eligibility despite appearing in only one season for the Jayhawks.
The timing is significant for Kansas, which is expected to rely on Mbiya for a much larger role this season.
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Christian Reeves continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery, while Serbian center Mihailo Mušikić is still awaiting an NCAA eligibility decision. That leaves Mbiya as one of the Jayhawks' most experienced options in the middle entering preseason practice.
Last season, Mbiya appeared in 21 games, averaging five minutes per contest while showing flashes of his defensive potential. Although his offensive game remains a work in progress, Kansas believes he can take a significant step forward with increased playing time.
The eligibility change also places greater importance on Mbiya's development over the next three seasons. Instead of having the option of a fifth year in Lawrence, the Congolese center will now have fewer opportunities to develop at the college level before making decisions about his professional future.
For Kansas, the rule is another example of how the NCAA's new eligibility framework is affecting international players in ways that extend beyond incoming recruits.
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