US-based Nigerian Basketball Player Daniel Adegboyega Arrested on First‑Degree Rape Charge
Jacksonville State men’s basketball player Daniel Tobiloba Adegboyega has been arrested on a first-degree rape charge and suspended from the university’s basketball team, according to court records and school officials.
Adegboyega, 21, a Nigerian national, was taken into custody and is being held at the Calhoun County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. Court records also show that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed an immigration hold on him.
According to an arrest warrant, the alleged incident occurred on Wednesday. Investigators allege that Adegboyega engaged in sexual intercourse with the complainant “by forcible compulsion,” an offence that constitutes first-degree rape under Alabama law.
Jacksonville State University confirmed that Adegboyega has been suspended from all team activities following his arrest.
The 7-foot centre joined Jacksonville State ahead of the 2026-27 season after announcing his commitment in May through his Instagram account. Before transferring to the Gamecocks, he spent the 2025-26 campaign at California Baptist University, having previously played two seasons at the University of South Florida.
Adegboyega originally signed with Kennesaw State in 2022 after graduating from Grand View Christian High School in Des Moines, Iowa, but did not appear in a game for the Owls.
Over the course of his collegiate basketball career, Adegboyega has appeared in 27 games, making five starts. He has averaged 0.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
The first-degree rape charge remains an allegation. Adegboyega is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
