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Andre Iguodala #9, Marreese Speights #5 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after Iguodala hit a three-point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans in the second quarter during the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 20, 2015 in Oakland, California.
Former Golden State Warriors center Marreese Speights has announced that he’s returning to the University of Florida at the ripe age of 38, amid the wave of eligibility lawsuits that have enabled several former NBA and G League players to return to college basketball.
Not really — but Speights sounded serious in his announcement on Wednesday.
“After 18 seasons, I will be returning to Florida with two years left to play,” wrote “Mo” Speights, who won the 2007 NCAA title with the Gators alongside other future NBA stars like Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah.
“Man, after having a great conversation with @CoachToddGolden, I’m excited to be back and have the opportunity to play again for the Florida Gators. After a long NBA career, with the new rules in place, I’ll be back on the court for the next two years.
“Go Gators! 🐊😂😂😂🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️”
After 18 seasons, I will be returning to Florida with two years left to play. Man, after having a great conversation with @CoachToddGolden , I’m excited to be back and have the opportunity to play again for the Florida Gators. After a long NBA career, with the new rules in
Speights was obviously joking, as evidenced by all the laughing emojis in his post and veteran insider Marc J. Spears’ response.
“Mo” Buckets played a vital role in helping the Warriors capture the 2015 NBA championship. The Florida alum averaged a career-high 10.4 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench for the Warriors in Steve Kerr’s first season as head coach, while backing up Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green alongside Festus Ezeli.
Speights averaged nearly one three-pointer per game in his second season under Kerr, who admittedly gave the big man the same “green light” as the Splash Brothers due to his ability to shoot at a high clip. During the Warriors’ 73-win season, Kerr revealed that he urged Speights to expand his game and shoot threes.
“Before last season actually, right when I came on board, I asked him if he felt comfortable taking one more step out. He was sort of non-committal…
“Any time he’s open, I want him to take that 3,” Kerr said. “It’s a great shot for us.”
Although Speights’ post was made in jest, it highlighted an ongoing legal issue that has forced the NCAA’s hand in recent months.
Last December, James Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, left FC Barcelona to return to college at Baylor. Shortly thereafter, Charles Bediako, who signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs and played five NBA preseason games with the franchise, decided to return to college basketball at Alabama. Bediako sued the NCAA for denying his request to rejoin college, but was eventually granted a temporary restraining order that allowed him to play five games for the Crimson Tide.
Ultimately, a judge denied Bediako’s request, ending his college career once again.
Other such cases include Thierry Darlan, who played in the G League Ignite developmental squad before committing to Santa Clara in September 2025, and Amari Bailey, the 41st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, who played 10 NBA games for the Charlotte Hornets before attempting to return to college hoops.
Per ESPN, the NCAA’s eligibility rules state a player:
Cannot have previously enrolled in college
Cannot have played in an official NBA game, signed an NBA contract or two-way contract
Must be within a five-year window of their high school graduation
Yet pro players are attempting to return to college basketball due to NIL rules that allow them to be compensated by third parties for their name, image, and likeness.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided's Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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