UCLA Freshman Guard Amari Bailey Declares For 2023 NBA Draft

The highest-ranked recruit of the Mick Cronin era is on his way out of Westwood, and he is reportedly not planning to return to college.

Another Bruin has opted to go pro.

UCLA men's basketball guard Amari Bailey has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, he announced Thursday afternoon on Instagram. The 6-foot-5 freshman had three years of eligibility remaining, but his mother told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony that he is “full-fledged declaring for the draft” and that he is not returning to college.

Bailey is the fourth player from this year's roster to declare for the draft, joining guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., point guard Tyger Campbell and guard Jaylen Clark. Additionally, guard David Singleton ran out of eligibility and is also trying to play professionally.

The last domino left to fall for the Bruins is Bailey's fellow five-star freshman, center Adem Bona. While Bona appears to have a future in the NBA, the shoulder injury he suffered in the Pac-12 tournament could require surgery and prevent him from making the leap this year.

Bailey, on the other hand, overcame the foot injury that caused him to miss seven games in January, putting up big numbers as the season wound down.

The McDonald's All-American out of Sierra Canyon (CA) averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.9 minutes per game, drawing the start in 28 of his 30 appearances. Bailey shot 49.5% from the field and 38.9% from deep on the season.

Bailey was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week four times – more than any other player – and he earned one of the five spots on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at the end of the year.

Across his six total postseason appearances in the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments, Bailey averaged 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game on .561/.467/.821 shooting splits.

Perhaps Bailey's biggest – and most bittersweet – moment in blue and gold turns out to be his last as well.

Bailey knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left in UCLA's Sweet 16 matchup against Gonzaga on March 23. The Bulldogs came back down the floor and answered with a deep triple of their own, though, sending Bailey and the Bruins home packing in the process.

On March 9, Bailey was ranked No. 69 on The Athletic's 2023 NBA Draft Top 100 Big Board, but that was before his postseason emergence. Still, he was not projected to be taken in either round in The Athletic's NBA Mock Draft on March 28.

ESPN, on the other hand, has Bailey rated as a top-40 prospect.

Without Bailey, coach Mick Cronin's short-term options are limited in the backcourt. Dylan Andrews is expected to step in and replace Campbell at the point, while redshirt sophomore Will McClendon and true freshman Sebastian Mack are in line to compete for Bailey's spot as a secondary ball-handler in the starting lineup.

Andrews showed promise and athleticism in his limited time this year, although he averaged just 3.3 points and 0.9 assists in 10.9 minutes per game on 43.0% shooting from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc. McClendon, meanwhile, ranked last among the Bruins' rotation players in PER, true shooting percentage, win shares per 40 minutes and box plus/minus while averaging 1.0 point in 9.4 minutes per game coming off a torn ACL that cost him his entire freshman year.

Mack is currently UCLA's highest-rated recruit in a class that ranks No. 14 in the country and No. 3 in the Pac-12. According to the 247Sports Composite, Mack is the No. 5 shooting guard in the class of 2023 and the No. 48 prospect overall.

Recent Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic could also take on some secondary ball-handling duties, as could Italian swingman Abramo Canka or French shooting guard Ilane Fibleuil, but none of them are traditional options as No. 2 guards in Cronin's system.

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