College basketball is broken.
Just a few weeks ago, Alabama head coach Nate Oates caused a stir when San Antonio Spurs big man Charles Bediako returned to college.
This week, former Charlotte Hornets guard Amari Bailey hired an agent and a lawyer seeking a return to college basketball despite appearing in 10 NBA games this season — a much more egregious case than what happened with Bediako, who was an undrafted Summer League player.
Bailey departed college basketball in 2023 when he left the UCLA Bruins for the NBA Draft. He became the No. 41 overall pick, but his career probably hasn’t gone to plan.
For the most part, it feels like players who are “basketball lifers” are now trying to exploit the current NCAA landscape in order to regain eligibility, collect more NIL money, and improve their NBA standing later.
It’s hard to blame Bailey or Bediako for this. They’ve found loopholes in a broken system that would allow them to secure a few more big paydays in college before heading back to the Association.
Bailey is just 21 years old. There are players currently in college basketball who are older than him. But the issue is that he left college three seasons ago to pursue an NBA career. His parents are Johanna Leia, a social media influencer, and former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Aaron Bailey. He grew up with the resources required to chase basketball at the highest level.
Bailey grew up in Chicago and appeared on a reality television series with his mother during his middle school basketball career. That early fame put him on the map and eventually inspired a move to California, where he attended Sierra Canyon High School.
After his junior year, Bailey was named Mr. Basketball in the state of California. He became a McDonald’s All-American as a senior.
A consensus five-star recruit, Bailey committed to DePaul while still in eighth grade. He later switched to UCLA as a high school freshman, decommitted, and eventually recommitted to the Bruins.
Fast forward to the present day, and the former No. 1 player in the country has bounced around the G League. His professional career hasn’t matched the hype of his youth basketball rise.
But here’s the issue: none of this has been amateur.
From the time Bailey was in middle school, his basketball career has been monetized. You can’t fault him for wanting to return to the so-called “amateur” ranks of college basketball — where his career was far more successful. In the NIL era, it would likely be more lucrative, too.
But why should this be allowed?
If Bailey were to return to college basketball, he would be taking an opportunity away from another athlete who dedicated their own life to the sport. Someone else worked just as hard for a scholarship or roster spot, only to lose it because an NBA player didn’t get the professional start he hoped for.
Bailey has lived through March Madness. He walked across the stage at the NBA Draft. That moment is supposed to represent a clear transition from amateur to professional basketball. Now that line can simply be erased?
Not to mention, Bailey has seen NBA talent up close. Even in just 10 regular-season games, he experienced the speed, strength, and structure of the professional game. That alone gives him an edge over college players who are supposed to be his peers.
Again, you can’t blame him. He’s exploiting a broken system, just like anyone in his position would consider doing. But until someone steps in to properly govern college sports, situations like this will only grow more bizarre.
