SEC commissioner Greg Sankey spoke about professional athletes returning to college sports in an affidavit filed in a Louisiana courthouse last week. Sankey asked Judge Ronald Johnson in East Baton Rouge Parish court to uphold NCAA rules that prevent athletes from returning to the college level, including former Big East Player of the Year and current member of LSU's basketball team, RJ Luis.
Sankey wrote in the filing that not allowing players to return to college athletics is "essential to the integrity of college sports."
"Permitting former professional athletes to return to competition creates a competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness for current student-athletes who have not pursued a professional sports career but instead have maintained their commitment to the collegiate athletics model," Sankey wrote.
Luis is attempting to play during the 2026-27 season after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft and signed an NBA two-way deal shortly after. Luis is set to have a preliminary injunction hearing in a Baton Rouge court on Monday after filing the injunction on Aug. 3.
The former St. John's star, who is part of the 2022 high school class that was granted a class-wide preliminary injunction earlier this month in Colorado, left college early to declare for the NBA Draft despite not being projected to be drafted.
Luis signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and was traded to the Boston Celtics before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.
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However, Luis did not appear in an NBA or G League regular-season game and was waived by the Maine Celtics before the season due to injury. Luis did appear in three preseason games with the Celtics and logged eight total minutes.
Sankey speaking out about a former college player returning to the sport after signing a professional contract isn't new. Sankey filed an affidavit in February regarding former Alabama center Charles Bediako after he returned to the school following a stint in the G League. Bediako appeared in five games during SEC play for the Crimson Tide before being ruled ineligible.
Even if Luis is ruled eligible, LSU faces an uphill climb to get every player first-year coach Will Wade recruited this past offseason available for the start of the season. The Tigers have just four players on their active roster who are guaranteed to be eligible this season and dipped into the super-senior market earlier this month when Wade landed former UCLA guard Skyy Clark.
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