Former Iona guard Adam Njie Jr.

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

A former Iona College basketball star has been sidelined after he was tied to growing investigations into gambling activity in the wake of a massive scandal that rocked the NBA.

The University of Dayton announced the suspension of Adam Njie Jr. on Sunday, Oct. 26. The sophomore transferred from Iona in April after he was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's all-rookie team in the 2024-25 season.

Dayton athletic director Neil Sullivan released a statement about the 6-foot-2 guard from The Bronx, New York.

"The University of Dayton has been notified by the NCAA of potential eligibility concerns related to Adam Njie, connected to matters that occurred prior to his enrollment at the university," Sullivan said. "In light of these concerns and the ongoing review process, Adam will not be participating in athletic competition at this time."

According to Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde, Njie is linked to ongoing federal and NCAA investigations into illegal gambling, game-fixing, and performance manipulation across college and professional basketball. It's unclear if federal investigators are looking into Njie or just the NCAA.

The exterior of University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, OH.

The exterior of University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, OH.

Chris Spiker

The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is leading a large probe into sports gambling in college basketball. This comes after federal prosecutors in New York announced 34 arrests in prop-bet manipulation and rigged poker game schemes, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier III, and retired NBA player Damon Jones.

Some gamblers charged in the NBA-centric scandal are also suspected of trying to fix college games. Indictments are expected in the case "in the near future," and the number of schools with players under investigation could double, Forde reported.

The case marks the latest gambling controversy surrounding the NCAA.

Earlier in October, three former Eastern Michigan University players who ran out of eligibility were cited after refusing to cooperate with NCAA investigators. In September, three players from Fresno State University and San Jose State University were permanently banned for betting on their own games and manipulating prop bets.

At least 35 athletes and staff members from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University were either charged criminally or punished by the NCAA for gambling activity in 2023. The NCAA disciplined five current or former Iowa State football staffers in May for wagering more than $100,000 on college and pro games.

Scrutiny is growing over the relationships between gambling companies and leagues or entities in charge of sports. Despite that, the NCAA recently approved a rule allowing college athletes and staff members to bet on professional sports starting on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Njie averaged 12.2 points and 4.2 assists as a freshman, leading the Gaels to the MAAC championship game, where they lost 63-49 to Mount St. Mary's in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He scored four points in 24 minutes during Dayton's 78-62 exhibition win over Penn State on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Without Njie, the Flyers have 10 active scholarship players, the Dayton Daily News reported. Dayton has already lost freshman guard Jaron McKie to a season-ending shoulder injury, while Rutgers transfer Jordan Derkack is recovering from a hard fall suffered in practice.

Njie, a Cardinal Hayes High School graduate, was expected to be a key contributor for Dayton, which is typically one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Flyers were picked to finish in third place in the A-10's preseason poll.

Dayton opens its regular season at home against Canisius University on Monday, Nov. 3.