St. John's Red Storm St. John’s recruit Babacar Sane suing NCAA over eligibility ruling By Zach Braziller Published Sep. 4, 2026, 2:09 p.m. ET Babacar Sane in action for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg during Bundesliga play. dpa/picture alliance via Getty I Babacar Sane, St. John’s highly-regarded international import from Senegal, is suing the NCAA in Queens Supreme Court after the governing body initially ruled him ineligible for the coming season pending appeal.
The 6-foot-7 Sane publicly committed to Rick Pitino’s program on May 12 after agreeing to join the Johnnies earlier in the spring, with the hopes of becoming the first member of his family to attend college in the United States. He enrolled in summer classes, moved to Queens and took part in workouts. He is currently enrolled for the fall semester.
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On Aug. 13, the NCAA denied St. John’s reinstatement application for Sane, writing that he showed an “intent to professionalize.” Players with professional experience begin the process as provisionally ineligible for NCAA competition. The route back is called “reinstatement.” St. John’s has appealed the NCAA’s ruling.
In a 55-page document filed by Sane’s attorneys, Elliot Sol Abrams and Kareem R. Vesssup, they argue that “the decision cites no controlling bylaw, does not discuss Sané’s graduation plan or degree commitment, and leaves blank the form’s field for case precedent.”
