ESPN.com · Jan 31
Amari Bailey, with 10 games in NBA, seeks college eligibility
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Former UCLA standout Amari Bailey said he is attempting to become the first basketball player to return to college after playing in NBA games.
Bailey, 21, has hired an agent and a lawyer to prepare to fight for NCAA eligibility with hopes to join a college team and play one more season.
He said he started to explore a return to college earnestly in 2025 but has wondered whether there was a way back to the NCAA since the day he was drafted in 2023. He said he made some mistakes as an 18-year-old freshman and left UCLA with "a lot to prove left on the table."