Amari Bailey seeks NCAA clearance after 10-game NBA stint
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Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey, who appeared in 10 games for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023-24, has begun a formal bid to regain college eligibility and play one more season, he told ESPN on Jan. 30.
The 21-year-old said he has hired both an agent and attorney Elliot Abrams to navigate what would be an unprecedented return to the NCAA by a player who has already logged NBA minutes. Bailey noted that he first explored the idea in 2025, adding, “Right now I’d be a senior in college … I went to play professionally and learned a lot, so why not me?”
Bailey left UCLA after the 2022-23 season and was selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft. He spent most of his rookie year on a two-way contract, saw limited action for the Hornets, and then spent two years in the G League before being released last summer.
NCAA resistance and recent court challenge
NCAA president Charlie Baker stated in December that the association “will not grant eligibility to any player who has signed an NBA contract.” Senior vice president Tim Buckley reiterated that position when asked about Bailey, urging Congress to bolster the NCAA’s authority.
Bailey’s case follows Alabama forward Charles Bediako, who signed a similar two-way NBA contract and secured a state-court injunction allowing him to suit up for the Crimson Tide. The NCAA is appealing that ruling. Bediako’s lawyers argued the organization has been “selective and inconsistent,” pointing to Baylor’s clearance of James Nnaji, a 2023 draftee who played professionally in Europe but never signed with an NBA team.
Eligibility window and financial details
NCAA rules permit athletes four competitive seasons within five academic years of first enrollment. Bailey, who entered UCLA in 2022, would have one season left in 2026-27. However, the association bars anyone who has signed a professional contract unless payments cover only “actual and necessary expenses.”
Bailey said his Hornets deal totaled $565,000 and argued many high-profile college starters now receive comparable sums through name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements. The NCAA adopted the “actual and necessary expenses” exception in 2010 to address overseas pros, but schools have steadily pushed for broader waivers as college compensation has grown.
Next steps
Bailey is training twice daily in Southern California and plans to speak with programs interested in adding a veteran point guard. Any school that signs him would need to request a waiver; if denied, Bailey and Abrams could pursue litigation similar to Bediako’s.
Calling the effort “not a stunt,” Bailey said he hopes to reshape his reputation, prove his leadership at the point, and guide a team to the Final Four.
Source: ESPN
