SEC rules Mizzou’s CJ Gunn ineligible, Tigers center suspended indefinitely

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 had been in 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 this summer that prevents any basketball or football player 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 is 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 was not 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 is unclear if Carey will be able to return in time for a highly anticipated game Friday against Saint Louis.

Missouri’s roster situation has been unsettled entering coach Dennis Gates’ fifth season.

Forward Luke Northweather is also unavailable for the Cleveland State matchup.

Gunn’s eligibility had been uncertain throughout the offseason, with the situation taking multiple turns through the legal system.

He previously received a temporary restraining order from a Boone County judge, allowing him to remain eligible while his case moved forward.

The dispute centered on whether Gunn’s brief professional experience, which included signing a professional contract, should prevent him from competing at the collegiate level.

His legal challenge temporarily gave him a path back onto the court, but the SEC’s latest determination closed that possibility.

The timing of the decision leaves little room for Missouri to adjust.

With the conference requiring the Tigers to finalize their roster ahead of the season, Gunn’s status was ultimately settled as the program prepared for its opening game.

For Gunn, the ruling also closes the door on a potential professional alternative this season.

With the NBA G League Draft already completed in October, the timing of the SEC’s decision further complicates his immediate basketball future.

Gunn is a class of 2022 recruit who spent two seasons each at Indiana and DePaul.

He started 54 games in two years for the Blue Demons and averaged 13 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

He also shot 50% from the floor and 31.5% from the three-point line in those two years with DePaul, with 90% of his field goal attempts coming from three-point range.

He won the three-point contest at this year’s Final Four.

Gunn had pre-draft workouts with both the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors but went undrafted.

Following that, he signed a contract with the Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, where he appeared in two games for the Surge before being released.