Amari Bailey is a 5-star recruit, American basketball player who plays as a guard for the UCLA Bruins basketball team. Born on February 17, 2004, Bailey is currently 19 years old. He was born in New Orleans but moved to Chicago and then Los Angeles to play basketball. He was born to Johanna Leia and Aaron Bailey. Bailey was raised by his mother who has been his biggest support system.
Bailey moved from Chicago to LA, and played basketball at Sierra Canyon high school. It was here that Bailey made a name for himself as a basketball player. His career at Sierra Canyon was stellar as he was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school.
After a good college basketball career, Bailey declared for the NBA draft of 2023. He is expected to be a number 20 to 30 pick in the first round. With his combination of size, speed, athleticism and shooting, Bailey can be a great two way guard for any team in the NBA.
Amari Bailey at UCLA
Amari Bailey played college basketball with the UCLA Bruins. While he had committed earlier to the college, he withdrew his commitment after their coach left and recommitted later to play under their new coach.
Sporting the number 5 jersey, the 5-star recruit shined for the Bruins throughout his short career with the team. He started in 28 of the 30 games he played. He completed the season with an average of 11.2 points, 2.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds on 49.5% shooting from the field. He proved to be a stellar addition to the team and formed a great partnership with other players such as Jaylen Clarke.
His career high scoring game came against Colorado in the Pac-12 tournament’s opener in 2023, when he scored 26 points. Jaylen Clarke’s injury was a turning point in Bailey’s UCLA career given that he had to step up his game on the defensive end and increase his output on the offensive end of the floor.
Bailey took up the challenge and became the team’s primary perimeter defender while also significantly increasing his scoring. After Clarke’s injury, Bailey averaged 17.3 points on 56% shooting in 6 games. His performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
FAQs
A. Amari Bailey’s career in UCLA was nothing short of excellent. His numbers from his career at UCLA are 11.2 points, 2.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. He played 30 games and started in 28 of them.
A. Amari Bailey is a guard for the UCLA Bruins basketball team. After a great season at UCLA, Bailey has declared for the NBA draft 2023 and will not return to UCLA. He is considered to be a top prospect and is expected to be drafted in the first round within the pick range of 20 to 30.
A. Amari Bailey has announced that he will not be returning to UCLA for the 2023-2024 season. Instead he has declared for the upcoming NBA draft and is considered to be a first round pick.
