Missouri guard CJ Gunn has been ruled ineligible by the SEC, Tigers coach Dennis Gates told CBS Sports on Monday. Gates received word from the league office less than two days before Missouri's opening game Tuesday night against Cleveland State. Gunn, whose case was up for dispute for weeks, was banned by the SEC after receiving $524 for playing three games in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in May.
By the letter of the SEC's rule, Gunn is ineligible to compete. The SEC passed a rule in the summer that prevented any basketball or football players from returning to play in the SEC if they signed a professional contract after enrolling in college. Gunn, a four-year player, spent his past two seasons at DePaul.
Gunn is ineligible because he signed a pro contract and received less than $600, which Gunn had to pay back, Gates said. The decision came to a head on Monday as Missouri's deadline to formally submit its roster to the SEC loomed Monday evening. No appeal is on the table.
Even worse for Gunn: He's not eligible to be drafted into the G League, which had its draft in October, because the SEC's ruling was finalized too late. The SEC's ruling on Gunn came down to "post-enrollment" status, just as it did with RJ Luis at LSU. Gunn was not expected to be a starter for Missouri but nonetheless would have been a good depth piece on a team with Top 25 aspirations.
In holding out Gunn, the SEC stood firm on its stance — and likely did so not just because of its rule, but to reinforce a message to LSU. Although Gunn's situation is notably different from Luis — who left college after 2025 and was trying to play one final season for Will Wade's program — the SEC clearly was not going to allow for any infringement on its new rule. If Gunn were given an exception, LSU would have understandably tried to do the same, potentially bringing yet another lawsuit in the process.
The Gunn news wasn't the only roster hiccup. Projected starting big man Jaylen Carey is indefinitely suspended, Gates told CBS Sports, adding that Carey's violation would not jeopardize his standing with the team. The sit-out is not expected to be long, though it's unclear if Carey will be able to return in time for a highly anticipated game Friday against Saint Louis.
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