Ex-Hornet Amari Bailey Attempts Unprecedented Return to NCAA Play
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Former Charlotte Hornets guard Amari Bailey is petitioning the NCAA for one more season of eligibility, hoping to become the first athlete to re-enter college basketball after appearing in an NBA game.
Bailey, 21, was chosen No. 41 in the 2023 draft and logged 10 games for Charlotte on a two-way contract during the 2023/24 campaign. Before turning professional, the 6’3” guard spent one season at UCLA.
He has retained both an agent and an attorney to press his case. “Right now I’d be a senior in college,” Bailey told ESPN, adding that he wants another collegiate season to refine his skills and reshape perceptions of his game.
NCAA Resistance
The NCAA has long barred athletes who sign NBA contracts from returning to campus competition. “The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract,” senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said, urging Congress to bolster rules preventing professional athletes from suing for reinstatement.
Parallel Legal Battle
Bailey’s effort follows a separate lawsuit by former Spurs two-way signee Charles Bediako, who never appeared in an NBA contest but is challenging the NCAA for another year at Alabama. A weather-related delay this week pushed back Bediako’s injunction hearing, and a temporary restraining order that lets him practice and play was extended 10 days. The NCAA has asked the presiding judge—an Alabama booster—to step aside.
Recent Performance and Plans
Last season Bailey split time in the G League with the Long Island Nets and Iowa Wolves, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal while shooting 43.4% from the field in 25 games (26.2 minutes). He has been training in California and says he hopes to join a program capable of reaching the 2026/27 Final Four.
“It’s not a stunt,” Bailey said. “I’m serious about going back.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
