UCLA Basketball: Fans Love Summer League Play Of Ex-Bruins Pac-12 All-Freshman Honoree

How will he fare in the NBA proper?

Former UCLA Bruins Pac-12 All-Freshman honoree Amari Bailey is already turning heads in NBA Summer League. The 6'5" guard was selected with the No. 41 pick in June's draft by the Charlotte Hornets, and has been showing out in Las Vegas.

Bailey submitted his best pro game of the run on Friday, in a 109-92 blowout victory over fellow ex-Bruin-turned-second round draft pick Jaylen Clark's Minnesota Timberwolves. Clark, a 6'5" shooting guard and the reigning Naismith and NABC Defensive Player of the Year, inked a two-way deal after being selected with No. 53 pick this year.

Bailey scored a game-most 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor (2-of-4 from deep), grabbing three boards and dishing out three assists.

That run included this 360-degree turnaround layup:

WITH THE 360#HornetsSummer | @NovantHealth pic.twitter.com/KPc795VJnb

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) July 15, 2023

That spinning effort seemed to break the mind of this hoops head:

AMARI BAILEY OMG

— 𝕏 | tuse | 🇮🇹🛸😈 (@CHA_ttuuse) July 15, 2023

And this one:

Amari Bailey hit the 360 layup… that was tough #NBASummer

— frank.🤞🏽 (@THENEXTBlGTHlNG) July 15, 2023

Charlotte named him the player of the game for his efforts.

NBA Twitter was also remarkably enthused about Bailey's run.

Amari Bailey gon be a stud in a few yrs https://t.co/mJrXgEKgIj

— someswaggt (@someswaggt) July 15, 2023

Canis Hoopus scribe Leo Sun, who predicted Bailey could emerge as a second-round sleeper while he was still a Bruin, felt vindicated somewhat for his prognosis:

Amari Bailey hits a casual 360 layup in traffic so I'm glad I nailed it pic.twitter.com/WB4CZ8xjVD

— Leo S (@Y0Leo) July 15, 2023

Another fan applauded Bailey's sharpshooting efforts:

Amari Bailey with the sauce

— Peezy Tsunami (@PeezusChris_t) July 15, 2023

While several other young Hornets pieces were criticized by Hornets/North Carolina State enthusiast Brody (@704NCSU), Bailey was hailed as the next coming of swingman Cody Martin, who's currently playing on a four-year, $31.4 million deal with the club. Could a lucrative second contract be in the future for Bailey, who's presently inked to a two-way agreement with the team?

Thoughts on this game:
-Horrible indictment on how big of ball stoppers the Hornets “main” summer league guys were
-We gotta do whatever we can to keep Nnanji
-Amari Bailey is baby Cody Martin
-Kobi Simmons will outlive us all

— Brody (@704NCSU) July 15, 2023

Evident Hornets appreciator @Hornetsrule95 raved about Bailey's play:

Amari Bailey has looked very impressive today

— Hornetsrule95 (@Hornetsrule95) July 15, 2023

Across 30 regular season contests (28 starts) during his lone UCLA season, Bailey averaged 11.2 points on .495/.389/.698 shooting splits, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals a night. His Bruins advanced to the Sweet 16.