Yeah, that seems weird to me. He’s been on the Blue Coats with Jared Brownridge who is basically Mr. Santa Clara. That would help remind him of the positive connections.
Darlan would be huge if he’s eligible. Still color me skeptical, but he was good enough to at least think about skipping college altogether. Committed to SCU, as I remember, and then decommitted to be courted by the likes of Kansas and Arizona. Ended up doing G-League Ignite.
But again, it feels like going from a US pro league to college is like the one thing that would still be against the rules. But what are rules anymore, really?
Edit: And yes, I will take credit for getting the answer right on my first random guess.
Apparently there’s some issue with his visa and that’s why SCU hasn’t announced it yet. Presumably he would’ve had a visa that allowed him to play in the G-League. But now maybe needs a student visa?
Broncos came close to getting him a couple years ago but his stock rose so much that he went to the G-League Ignite program. It seems like the NCAA might be granting waivers because the G-League Ignite disbanded in 2024 (which is why he played with the Bluecoats this past season.) This is what AI said about it…
Historically, players participating in the NBA G League Ignite program, which was a professional development program, were not automatically eligible for NCAA competition.
The NCAA considers taking pay for playing the sport you intend to play in college as professional activity, which would typically make a player ineligible. However, recent NCAA rule changes and the context of the G-League Ignite program created some nuance:
Professional Status: The G League Ignite program involved players receiving salaries and endorsement income, which classified them as professionals.
Waiver Process: In certain cases, players who participated in the G-League Ignite and did not enroll in college, particularly those who were initially considering college but chose the Ignite pathway, could potentially apply for a waiver to regain NCAA eligibility.
Case-by-Case Review: Each case would be reviewed individually by the NCAA to determine if a player’s circumstances warranted a waiver, taking into account factors like the player’s age, whether they had previously enrolled in a college, and the details of their G-League contract.
The Ignite Program’s End: It’s important to note that the G League Ignite program officially concluded after the 2023-2024 season, largely due to the changing landscape of college basketball, including Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules and the transfer portal.
Therefore, while playing in the G-League Ignite typically made a player a professional, the possibility of playing college basketball was not entirely closed off, as waivers and individual eligibility reviews could provide a pathway for some players.
Wow, well if Darlan is enrolled and is going to play, that really does change the outlook. He would easily qualify as one of the top-5 incoming players in the conference and a dark horse POY candidate.
He would be another one of Sendek’s beloved long guards who rebound.
I’m still a tad skeptical, but it would be quite a coup if he suits up.
You’re 100% right. I don’t know why I had it in my head that he was older. Probably because Davide Casarin, the other international prospect the Broncos pursued, is already 22. I think I mixed them up, age-wise, in my head.
I agree that I will believe it when I see it. Wouldn’t every NCAA team have wanted Darlan if eligible? Darlan has a 7 foot 2 wingspan, can shoot the 3, and defend positions 1 though 5. He is not as polished off the dribble as Jdub was at that age but he could still offer tremendous value at the D1 level.
Darlan did go through the Pre Draft combine process this year and withdrew. No team has ever had his NBA rights so perhaps the NCAA was convinced that in an NIL world, he is every bit the amateur that other incoming freshmen are. You can see his impressive measurements here. 2025 G League Elite Camp Official Testing Results - The NBA G League
Well, for years we’ve seen players from Europe and elsewhere who played in professional (that is to say, got paid) leagues who then enrolled in U.S. universities as player-athletes. Seems to me G-league Ignite, or any G-league experience, would be comparable to mid- to high-end Euro leagues.
But as you say, what are the rules anymore, anyway? I’d say the rules are now whatever generates incremental revenue gets approved.
The Ignite developmental program folded primarily because its whole purpose was to enable financial opportunities for developmental players. However with the rise of NIL it became instantly obsolete. When NCAA started the pay for play model there literally nothing separating the NCAA from Ignite. There may be a case to be made that if all things were equal a few years ago he goes to college instead. Because the competitive level it may be seen as a lateral or alternative move rather than a demotion from the professional status.
Looks like we’ll have 8 newcomers in total, all freshman and sophomores. We’ll lose two starters, plus Yarusso and Malachi, to graduation at the end of the season. Ensminger would be our only senior in the 26-27 season, barring any transfers.
EDIT: per the announcement, Darlan is coming in as a junior.
Will be interesting to see how a player with G League experience translates to college basketball. I remember watching the one game Podziemski played in the G League before getting the full time call up and he was completely dominant that night. That being said, Darlan won’t be facing teams better than what he faced the last two years so that has to make you optimistic about what he is capable of doing as a Bronco. I don’t think he will initiate the offense enough to be a Conference Player of the Year type but I expect him to end up on one of the two All Conference Teams.
