Your inbox approves Men's coaches poll Women's coaches poll Play to win 25K!
NCAAB
NCAA

NCAA clears Kansas freshman Cheick Diallo to play

Nicole Auerbach
USA TODAY Sports
Kansas Jayhawks forward Cheick Diallo who is waiting to be declared eligible by the NCAA watches from the sidelines during a game against the Chaminade Silverswords at the Lahaina Civic Center during the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center.

After months of eligibility limbo regarding its prized freshman, Kansas is finally set to play with freshman Cheick Diallo.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that Diallo is eligible to compete on Dec. 1. He will have missed a total of five college basketball games, to offset what the NCAA found and determined to be a limited amount of extra benefits.

The delay in the NCAA investigation centered on Diallo's academic eligibility. Kansas submitted new information to the NCAA on Nov. 20, including an "independent review" of Diallo's classwork, the NCAA said.

No. 7 Kansas has no trouble routing UCLA 92-73 at Maui

"Our goal is to have eligibility decisions made prior to the start of a student-athlete's season," Oliver Luck, NCAA executive vice president of regulatory affairs, said in a statement. "However, this was a complicated case involving international transcripts and a high school that remains under review. Additionally, staff considered a complex set of circumstances regarding amateurism."

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

Kansas ahletics director Sheahon Zenger said called the NCAA's conclusion "fair" in a statement released Wednesday.

Diallo, who was born and brought up in Kayes, Mali, provides a unique skillset for the Jayhawks as an agile 6-10 power forward. He was a five-star recruit in the class of 2015 (rated No. 4 overall by 247 Sports, No. 5 by Rivals, and No. 7 by ESPN) and was named the MVP of the McDonald's All-American game.

Also Wednesday, the NCAA cleared St. John’s freshman forward Kassoum Yakwe, a top-100 prospect in the 2015 high school recruiting class, to begin play immediately. The Red Storm next plays Dec. 2 vs. Fordham.

COACHES POLL TOP 25 TEAMS

Featured Weekly Ad