UCLA Coach Welcomes Amari Bailey's Bid to Return to College

Bailey, who played in the NBA, is trying to regain college eligibility for one more season.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 8:15pm

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Amari Bailey, who spent one season at UCLA before being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, is trying to return to college for one more season. UCLA coach Mick Cronin said he supports Bailey's decision and believes he should take a shot at regaining his college eligibility, despite the unprecedented nature of such a move for a player who has already played in the NBA.

Why it matters

Bailey's potential return to college raises questions about NCAA eligibility rules and the differences in how players who have played professionally in the U.S. versus overseas are treated. Cronin criticized the NCAA's handling of such cases, arguing that players should not be able to return to college if they did not enroll before age 20.5.

The details

After spending one season at UCLA, Bailey was selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft and played in 10 games with the Charlotte Hornets as a rookie on a two-way contract. His two-year run in the G League ended when he was cut over the summer. Bailey has now hired an agent and a lawyer to help him in his bid to regain college eligibility, noting that this would have been his senior season in college had he remained an amateur.

  • Bailey was selected in the 2023 NBA draft.
  • Bailey played in 10 games with the Charlotte Hornets as a rookie on a two-way contract.
  • Bailey's two-year run in the G League ended when he was cut over the summer.
  • Bailey attended the Bruins' game against Indiana last weekend, where he was among a group of basketball alumni honored during a halftime ceremony.

The players

Mick Cronin

The head coach of the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team.

Amari Bailey

A former UCLA basketball player who is trying to return to college for one more season after playing in the NBA.

Charlie Baker

The president of the NCAA, who said in December that member colleges would not restore eligibility to players who had signed NBA contracts.

Charles Bediako

An Alabama basketball player who played in the G League on a two-way contract and won an injunction in state court that provided him a chance to compete for the Crimson Tide.

James Nnaji

A Baylor basketball player who was allowed to return to college even though he was a 2023 NBA draft pick who played professionally in Europe.

Kirill Elatontsev

A 23-year-old center who was granted midseason eligibility at Oklahoma after having played professionally in Russia.

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What they’re saying

“We spoke, I told him I don't blame him. Why not take a shot?”

— Mick Cronin, UCLA Head Coach (California Post)

“In my opinion, if you don't come to college before you're 20½, all bets are off. You can't come from Europe when you're 21 because you elected to go pro. You could have come when you graduated high school, you're a good player, and even if it was a mid-major and then [transfer] portal on up and get more money. So the problem now is, what's the difference?”

— Mick Cronin, UCLA Head Coach (California Post)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Amari Bailey to regain his college eligibility.

The takeaway

This case highlights the inconsistencies in NCAA eligibility rules, particularly regarding players who have played professionally in the United States versus overseas. It raises questions about the fairness of the NCAA's approach and whether it is truly serving the best interests of student-athletes.