The soon-to-be-22-year-old Bailey has some regrets about turning pro after his freshman season in 2022-23,
The line between college and pro sports has never been blurred more, and Amari Bailey is up for testing its obscurity.
The former UCLA guard, who was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft and then played 10 games on a two-way contract for the Hornets during the 2023-24 season, is seeking college eligibility.
No one has gone back to play in college after logging NBA minutes. His goal is to play one more season in the collegiate ranks, according to an ESPN report Friday.
"Right now I'd be a senior in college," the soon-to-be-22-year-old Bailey told ESPN. "I'm not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics. 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?"
Bailey has reportedly hired an agent and a lawyer and is prepared to challenge the NCAA in court. He explained to ESPN that he has some regrets about leaving UCLA after his freshman season, during which he averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 2022-23.
That season, the Bruins won 31 games and reached the Sweet 16. Bailey was the fourth-leading scorer on a squad that featured Miami Heat first-round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr.
He arrived at UCLA as a five-star prospect from Sierra Canyon, where he teamed up with Bronny James and other high-profile prospects outside of Los Angeles. Bailey was the No. 12 overall recruit in 2022 class, according to the Rivals industry ranking.
After his rookie season with the Hornets, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets but spent the 2024-25 season in the G League. He was cut this past summer, according to ESPN.
"It's not a stunt," Bailey said, per ESPN. "I'm really serious about going back. I just want to improve my game, change the perception of me and just show that I can win."
Last month, in the wake of 2023 second-round pick James Nnaji joining Baylor, NCAA president Charlie Baker insisted that the NCAA "has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract)."
Nnaji, a 21-year-old and 7-foot center from Makurdi, Nigeria, never signed an NBA contract. Instead, he remained in the FC Barcelona organization, although he did play in NBA Summer League games for the Hornets and New York Knicks, as recently as last year for the Knicks.
Nnaji's arrival at Baylor has been overshadowed recently by another 7-footer, Charles Bediako, and his return to Alabama. Bediako, 23, hadn't played for the Crimson Tide since the 2022-23 campaign. He went undrafted after that season and ultimately embarked on a G League stint. He did, however, sign a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs in 2023.
Last week, a judge granted a temporary restraining order to allow Bediako to return to Alabama and play for the Crimson Tide.
Bailey heard his name called in the draft 10 picks after Nnaji, and he signed the same type of contract as Bediako.
Bailey believes playing 65 NBA minutes shouldn't differentiate him from those two players. He's aiming to join a college team for next season, per ESPN, which reported that the potential team would have to petition the NCAA for a waiver to permit him to play.
If denied that waiver, Bailey and his legal team could file a lawsuit.
Category: General Sports
