NCAA clears Bawa Muniru to play in 2009-10 season

After months of waiting by IU coach Tom Crean and the IU compliance office, freshman center Bawa Muniru was cleared to play in the 2009-10 season Thursday.

He had practiced with the IU men’s basketball team and spent time with his teammates since the beginning of the school year, but he needed academic approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse in order to become eligible to play.

His authorization came a day after IU had played in its first exhibition game against Grace College. Muniru watched his team’s 96-73 win while he sat near the coaches, his broad body dressed in a suit.

“It’s a big burden lifted off my shoulders,” Muniru said. “I’m glad that this thing is over, and it’s been a pleasure to be here and I’m ready to play basketball.”

Whether Muniru will play this season is yet to be seen. There have been other questions regarding Muniru and his ability to be an immediate asset to IU.

The 6-foot-11 center is less polished than the other players in his top-10 freshman class, and he has been characterized as a “raw” talent on many occasions.

Part of his experience might have come from the fact that the center has played for several high schools before reaching IU. He averaged 16.6 points and 8.9 rebounds at Madison Academy in Alabama and spent a year at Mount Zion Academy thereafter.

He wasn’t the only one in the class to face a delay in his academic clearance from the NCAA eligibility center. Freshman guard Maurice Creek found out he was cleared to play Aug. 31, but questions lingered longer for Muniru.

Despite some doubts about whether he would be cleared this late in the season, Muniru said his only anxiety came regarding when he would be allowed to play.

“I wasn’t concerned at all,” he said. “I wasn’t worried. The only thing was time. Time was a factor. And I always say time will tell, and time has told.”

His coach had taken a similar approach. When asked about Muniru’s status, Crean consistently said it was a compliance matter.

Crean credited the compliance office in a statement and said he was thrilled for Muniru and his future as a Hoosier.

“We are excited for Bawa, as he can now move forward with his energies completely focused on his academic and athletic career at Indiana,” Crean said in a statement. “We know the NCAA had to take their time and we appreciate them seeing this process through. At Indiana, we have so many outstanding individuals in our compliance, eligibility and academic support areas who worked so hard and diligently on his behalf.”

Although he hasn’t seen NCAA sanctioned action, Muniru has touched Branch McCracken Court in many instances. He participated in Hoosier Hysteria and has practiced with IU throughout the young season.

He said Thursday that he is ready to begin his career with IU.

“I’ve been looking forward to the season since I signed with Indiana,” he said, “and I can’t wait to get it started.”