The future of one of St. John’s most talked-about basketball additions is now being decided in a Queens courtroom.
Player sues over delayed eligibility ruling
Babacar Sané, the 6-foot-8 forward from Senegal who signed with Rick Pitino’s St. John’s programme this year, has filed suit against the NCAA in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens, challenging the governing body’s handling of his eligibility status.
The complaint — lodged by attorney Kareem Vessup on Sané’s behalf — contends the NCAA has treated him differently from more than 90 other players with comparable professional backgrounds and that its appeals process contains no deadline by which the Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee must decide an appeal.
“Sané’s opportunity to compete in the 2026-27 season is time-limited,” the suit states, noting the player’s athletics aid and revenue-sharing agreement depend on NCAA eligibility.
Timeline and stakes for the Johnnies
The legal filing details the immediacy of the situation for St. John’s. The NCAA, the suit says, denied Sané’s reinstatement request on Aug. 13, 2026, and has since retained the appeal with no deadline for a final decision. Team activities for the Johnnies began in early September and the season opener is scheduled for Nov. 2, 2026.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | Sané publicly signs with St. John’s |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | NCAA denies reinstatement request |
| Sept. 2, 2026 | Team workouts began |
| Sept. 21, 2026 | Full-team practice begins |
| Nov. 2, 2026 | Season opener at St. John’s home court |
The suit argues that Sané was initially given guidance indicating he would be cleared to play, but that the NCAA retroactively changed its assessment and is now applying rules inconsistently. Under the bylaws cited in the complaint, the filing warns, if all appeal avenues are exhausted without restoration of eligibility Sané may no longer participate in practice activities.
What the Johnnies and coaches have said
Sané was a high-profile addition to Pitino’s roster. When he signed in May, Pitino lauded the forward’s athleticism and versatility, and referenced praise from former player Gorgui Dieng. The coach has compared Sané’s interior play to names familiar to college basketball fans and noted his shooting ability.
St. John’s has appealed the NCAA’s denial, a step the lawsuit references as still pending. The filing, prepared by legal counsel including Kareem R. Vessup and Elliot Sol Abrams, asserts the NCAA’s denial “cites no controlling bylaw, does not discuss Sané’s graduation plan or degree commitment, and leaves blank the form’s field for case precedent.”
- Immediate consequence: Sané risks missing the 2026-27 season and associated development and exposure.
- Contractual stakes: His athletics aid and revenue-sharing agreement are tied to NCAA eligibility.
- Process concern: The lawsuit centres on the lack of a deadline for appeals and alleged arbitrary application of rules.
For St. John’s supporters, the case adds uncertainty to a roster that figures to lean on the new forward. Sané’s presence was expected to be a significant on-court boost for a programme under a high-profile coach.
Beyond the immediate impact on the team, the lawsuit raises broader questions about how the NCAA handles players with prior professional experience, particularly international recruits whose paths to college basketball do not always fit neatly within the governing body’s traditional frameworks.
The university and the NCAA have not released additional comment in the court filing. The matter will now play out in the New York courts while the Johnnies prepare for the coming season without certainty about whether one of their key newcomers will be cleared to play.
This dispute will be watched closely in St. John’s, where college basketball fans have already begun to make plans for the new season and where the fortunes of the team are followed with the kind of local intensity that turns signings into communal talking points.
