Missouri guard CJ Gunn has been ruled ineligible by the SEC, head coach Dennis Gates confirmed to CBS Sports on Monday. The decision came less than two days before the Tigers' season opener against Cleveland State on Tuesday night.
Gunn, a four-year player who spent his past two seasons at DePaul, was banned after receiving $524 for playing three games in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in May. Under the SEC's new rule passed in the summer, any basketball or football player who signs a professional contract after enrolling in college is ineligible to return to play in the SEC. Gunn had to repay the $524, but the ruling stands with no appeal available.
The SEC's decision also means Gunn is not eligible for the G League draft, which took place in October, because the ruling was finalized too late. The case mirrors the situation involving RJ Luis at LSU, where the league enforced its "post-enrollment" rule strictly.
In addition to Gunn's ineligibility, projected starting center Jaylen Carey has been indefinitely suspended for a team violation. Gates said the violation would not jeopardize Carey's standing with the team, and the sit-out is not expected to be long, though it is unclear if he will return for Friday's game against Saint Louis.
