Missouri guard CJ Gunn has been ruled ineligible by the SEC, head coach Dennis Gates confirmed on Monday. The decision comes less than two days before the Tigers' season opener against Cleveland State on Tuesday night.
Gunn, a four-year player who spent the 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 compete in the SEC. Gunn's payment was less than $600, which he has since repaid, but the league stood firm on its "post-enrollment" stance.
The ruling also means Gunn is not eligible for the G League draft, which took place in October, because the SEC's decision was finalized too late. No appeal is available. The SEC's firm stance is seen as reinforcing its new rule, particularly in light of a similar case involving RJ Luis at LSU.
Gunn was not expected to start but would have provided valuable depth for a Missouri team with Top 25 aspirations.
In a separate roster issue, projected starting big man Jaylen Carey has been indefinitely suspended for a team violation that Gates said would not jeopardize his standing with the team. The suspension is not expected to be long, though it is unclear if Carey will return for Friday's highly anticipated game against Saint Louis.
