Former UCLA Star Amari Bailey Attempts Return To College Basketball After NBA And G-League Stints

Amari Bailey, who led UCLA to a sweet-sixteen appearance during the 2022-2023 season and was subsequently selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, is making a play for a return to college basketball after already participating in ten games for the Charlotte Hornets. 

We all knew this was going to happen sooner rather than later, given the circumstances around James Nnaji signing with Baylor, and then Charles Bediako returning to Alabama for his second stint of college basketball. 

The writing was on the wall for an athlete who has participated in actual NBA games to make an attempt at returning to college basketball. 

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Now, we have the newest test case. 

Amari Bailey was one of the hottest names during the 2022-2023 college basketball season with UCLA, averaging 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a game during his time playing for the Bruins. After leading his team to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season, Bailey decided to enter the NBA Draft. 

"The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract. Congress can strengthen NCAA rules so professional athletes cannot sue their way back to competing against college students," NCAA's VP of External Affairs said on Friday night. 

Amari Bailey of the Long Island Nets shoots a foul shot during the game against the Greensboro Swarm on November 29, 2024, at The Novant Health Fieldhouse in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Erin Mizelle/NBAE via Getty Images)

The All-Pac-12 honoree was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 41st overall pick, starting his NBA career, which some thought would be prosperous. But, after only making ten overall appearances for the Hornets during his time with the team, Amari's professional aspirations saw him trying to climb out of the G-League back to an NBA court. 

In 2024, Bailey signed a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, but was waived by the team just one month later, where he then started playing for the Long Island Nets, Iowa Wolves and Greensboro Swarm in the G-League. 

As ESPN first reported, Bailey is not attempting to re-enter college basketball, with hopes of joining a team for the 2026-2027 season. 

"It's not a stunt. I'm really serious about going back," Bailey told Dan Murphy. "I just want to improve my game, change the perception of me and just show that I can win."

How serious is Amari Bailey about returning to the collegiate ranks? He has already hired an attorney and agent, to pursue his ways of getting back to college basketball. 

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This is just the latest situation regarding former players who have, at the very least, been either drafted or played in NBA-owned leagues. The first was James Nnaji, who was selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Then, it was Charles Bediako, who last played a G-League game just under two weeks ago before starting his second stint of college basketball with Alabama. 

For Bediako, he was granted an extension to his TRO against the NCAA, and will be allowed to continue playing for Nate Oats until a hearing on the preliminary injunction scheduled for next week in Tuscaloosa. 

The NCAA Can Lose More Power As Charles Bediako G-League To Alabama Return Goes To Court 

As for Amari Bailey, the NCAA has already made it clear that any player who has participated at the NBA level will not be granted eligibility by the organization, which is why you're seeing athletes sue them in state court, rather than at the federal level. 

"Right now, I'd be a senior in college. I'm not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics," Bailey told Dan Murphy. "No shade to the guys that do; that's their journey. But I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So, like why not me?"

Amari Bailey of the UCLA Bruins reacts after losing to the Gonzaga Bulldogs 79-76 during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

His argument for eligibility? Bailey thinks that participating in only a minute amount of games in the NBA should not be the reason why he should be treated any differently than Charles Bediako or James Nnaji. 

Why not him? Well, we're about to find out if these college basketball coaches who have come out against the idea of a professional player returning to college is a bad idea. For all the complaining some of these coaches do, having the ability to sign someone like Amari Bailey will test their strength in backing up their philosophy on where the game currently stands. 

"You've got a college-aged kid who wants to go to college, and you've got a system that says, 'Too bad, you've gone to a different league so you're out forever.' I don't see any real justification for it," Amari Bailey's attorney, Elliot Abrams told ESPN. 

Soon enough, LeBron James will decide that since he did not attend college, he'll just finish his basketball career trying to lead a team to the Final Four. OK, I'm only half-kidding, because we are certainly headed down a path of no return, and there will be more players with NBA experience getting in front of a local judge that might just feel the same. 

I would imagine Nate Oats, and a few others, wouldn't have a problem signing Amari Bailey if he wins his eligibility case in a local court. I guess we're about to find out which schools are in need of a scorer that has professional experience. 

Once again, the pure stupidity of this current era of college athletics is on full display. Let's see who takes Bailey up on the chance.