TUCSON, Arizona — The NCAA has granted a waiver to University of Arizona junior guard James Akinjo, and he will be eligible to compete immediately for the Wildcats. Akinjo, who began his career at Georgetown, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“First, I want to thank God and my family along with Compliance for helping me with this long process,” Akinjo said in a statement released by UArizona. “I want to thank my coaches and teammates for supporting me through this process. And finally, I want to thank the NCAA for giving me immediate eligibility for this season. I can’t wait to get out there with my teammates from the start. Bear Down!”
Akinjo was the Big East Freshman of the Year in the 2018-19 season while playing for Georgetown. He averaged 13.4 points and 5.2 assists and was named conference freshman of the week four times. Akinjo, who is from Oakland, California, appeared in seven games for the Hoyas during the 2019-20 season before transferring to Arizona. He was able to practice with the Wildcats, but he was not eligible to compete in games during the Spring 2020 semester due to NCAA transfer rules.
“We are excited to have James eligible for our first game," said head coach Sean Miller. "This is an opportunity that I know he is eager to take advantage of both on the court and in the classroom. “He is an impact player and a fierce competitor, and his experience will be invaluable for us this year as we welcome so many young players to our program.”
