Former UCLA Bruin eyes Charles Bediako-style return to college basketball

It should come as no surprise that basketball players who aren't seeing the expected or desired level of success in the NBA would want to return to college ball, especially if they have a few years of eligibility remaining.

It should come as even less of a surprise that after Alabama's Charles Bediako pulled off that kind of return, other former collegiate players would follow suit.

Now, in a similar vein, former UCLA Bruin and second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Amari Bailey, is hoping to make his return to college.

NBA's Amari Bailey eyes return to college basketball

The difference between Bediako and Bailey is that the Crimson Tide center never played a second of basketball in the actual NBA, only earning minutes in the G-League after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Meanwhile, the former Bruin has played in 10 NBA regular-season games over the last three years. No, Bailey isn't a star in the league, but he still has the actual experience of going up against professional opponents.

While nothing has been finalized or truly even moved in one direction or another, Bailey has hired an agent and an attorney to pursue his return to college.

In his short career, Bailey has averaged 2.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per appearance. A far cry from an elite professional career, but he still has those stats to show for himself.

People were already in an uproar over Bediako's return to Alabama, and he never recorded a minute or a stat for an yof the franchises he signed G-League contracts with (San Antonio, Denver, and Detroit).

Bailey played just one season for UCLA before heading to the NBA, averaging 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2023 and was selected 41st overall by the Charlotte Hornets.