Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey, playing 10 NBA games, looking to commit to college - Yahoo

Bailey, 22, recently lamented turning pro after the 2022-23 season opener.

Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey, who played 10 NBA games, is reportedly seeking college eligibility.

The line between college and pro has never been more blurred, and Amari Bailey wants to challenge that blur.

The former UCLA guard, drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round of NBA's 2023 draft and then signed a 10-way contract contract with the Hornets through the 2023-24 season, seeks a college qualification.

None returned to play in college after logging NBA minutes.According to an ESPN report on Friday, his goal is to play one more season in the college ranks.

"I'm going to be a senior in college now," the 22-year-old Bailey told ESPN."I'm not trying to be 27 years old and play athletics in college. There's no shade to the guys who do that; that's their journey. But I went back to play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So, like, why not me?"

Bailey has hired an agent and a lawyer and is reportedly preparing to sue the NCAA.He explained to ESPN that he had few 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 team that featured Miami Heat first-round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr.

He arrived at UCLA as a five-star prospect out of Sierra Canyon, where he worked with Brony James and other prospects out of Los Angeles.According to Rivals, Bailey was the No. 12 recruit in the class of 2022.

Hornets Taki signed with the Brooklyn Nets after the first season, but the 2024-2025 season.spent in the G League.He was fired last summer, according to ESPN.

“It's not a stunt,” Bailey told ESPN."I'm serious about coming back. I just want to improve my game, change my mentality and show that I can win."

Last month, following Baylor's 2023 second-round selection of James Nagy, NCAA President Charlie Baker insisted that the NCAA "does not and will not grant eligibility to prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract).

Nnaji, a 7-foot-21-year-old center from Makurdi, Nigeria, never signed an NBA contract.Instead, he remained in the FC Barcelona organization, although he played in NBA Summer League games for the Hornets and New York Knicks, most recently last year for the Knicks.

Nnaji's arrival at Baylor was overshadowed by the recent return to Alabama of another 7-footer, Charles Bediako.Bediako, 23, has not played for the Crimson Tide since 2022-23.annual campaigns.He went undrafted after that season and ended up playing in the G League.However, he signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs in 2023

Last week, a judge issued 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 signed the same type of contract as Bediako.

Bailey doesn't think playing 65 minutes in the NBA separates him from those two players. His goal is to join a college team next season, which would have to apply for a waiver from the NCAA to allow him to play, ESPN reported.

If the waiver is not granted, Bailey and his legal team may file a lawsuit.