Amari Bailey was a former top prospect that left some mixed reviews as to how he really performed as a prospect. He excelled as a secondary scorer on an experienced team but didn't really progress as a facilitator until later in the season. He is a really advanced ball handler that processes decisions extremely quickly when looking to get the ball into the basket. He makes some very slick dribbling moves and has a very tight handle, especially for his size and age. He's a very creative finisher and creator that very easily finds ways to get open looks. He uncovers newfound space well and can use his length to find angles that most guards can't get to when finishing. He has the pace and burst of a high-level guard and has the physical profile of a wing to take advantage of mismatches. He has an aggressive mentality and isn't afraid to get beat up, whether that's in half-court or transition settings, despite being a little lean. Even when he can’t bully larger guys he still finds ways to score through crafty movements and finishes, his tendency to try to convert below the rim might not be what teams like but it’s a real skill that he can bring right away. His touch around the rim is exceptional and was one of his only traits that were actually consistent throughout the entire season. His shooting was something that was on and off over the course of the year but he always looked the part of a perimeter player. He can move even better when given more space so when he was given a greater atmosphere behind the arc he was able to get to his spots even more easily. He looks comfortable in his shot but it just didn't go in all of the time, he would go on hot and cold streaks a bit too often for UCLA to actually encourage him to take a ton of threes. A lot of his attempts were assisted shots like spot-ups which isn’t really his usual style of play. His touch from the line was alright but could have been a bit better, I believe that he will be a good shooter but it's just not a reliable skill yet that I feel confident in as an asset but the potential is there. His vision as a playmaker is very tricky to really try to understand. He had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio and struggled with pace when trying to pass which resulted in a lot of stupid mistakes. At the draft combine he looked like a next-level distributor and a true point guard but in college, he never really played that part which might be due to UCLA already having a point guard but I think it was because of real weakness. I do think that he might have improved since the season ended which would explain the jump he showed but he just didn’t really look like a playmaker last season. He has always been viewed as an awkward positional fit because he’s one of these combo guards that needs the ball a lot which rarely results in a functional player. In order to be a first-round pick he had to show that he’s a point guard which isn't something he displayed until the pre-draft process so it’s something that I have trouble buying into. Defensively he was pretty subpar for a majority of his time on the floor outside of the occasional passing lane attack but after his stellar defensive star teammate Jaylen Clark went down with an injury, he really found another level on that side of the ball. I suspect that the coaching staff came to him and told him to step up, which he certainly did. He was far more attentive off the ball and he used his length to hold assignments down rather than just poke at the ball every once in a while. He came into his own in a lot of ways but his intensity and effort took a big jump when he was given more responsibility which is a very positive sign of future defensive progression. I think that Amari has a ton of untapped talent and some skills that can translate right away but his role and uncertainty of how his perceived improvements might have some trouble making their way over into the league.

Aggressive guard always looking to make an impact Really talented in high school, lead scoring flashes Underrated defense, agile lateral quickness Interesting comp: Tyus Jones Flexible, crafty finisher with all different ways to get the ball in the basket Has some tremendous defensive possessions, where he completely cuts off the path of the offensive player and forces a ball pick-up/turnover. Textbook. Lefty shooter with solid form for a point guard Came up clutch in March Madness w/o Clark, made some timely, large threes Solid with the ball in his hands, fluid handler Relentless finisher with a somewhat endless tenacity to make a play Active off-ball Has a frame for a guard that commonly succeeds Crafty with the ball in his hands, uses fakes, hop steps, and elusive moves to shake the defense Spot-up shooter potential, pure shot Can overplay, do a bit too much in a limited opportunity Likes to push the tempo, tire out the defense Really showed impatience with the flow of the game at the combine Highly touted prospect out of High School, grew into a new player a UCLA Inconsistent feel for the game, fails to immediately recognize the pace Very shifty, gets to the lane so unpredictably Inconsistent performances, takes time for Bailey to adjust to a new atmosphere Very efficient three-point scorer in UCLA Very little ball security, doesn’t prepare for off-ball strips Tried to impress way too much at the combine, over shot Really competitive around the rim, gets to his spot, finishes with force Flashes of solid cutting and off-ball craftiness throughout the year Solid C&S threat when he feels ready Saw some stable playmaking ability at the combine, found cutters and roll men Comfortable taking a mid-range shot, very fluid and comfortable Extremely effective past his first-step, can rise up, adjust mid-air, making those 10ft. Shots So confident with his play, can miss so many shots though bounce back and play competitive, team basketball Really cool contact finisher, may overreact, though converts those acrobatic plays Flashes of some really solid roll-man finds, keep the ball near the floor, gets the rock right in the roller’s pocket to rise Can lack touch and relaxation as a player, aggressiveness can be both a charm and curse at the same time Shot selection can be interesting, passes up open shots for inefficient opportunities Had some really pure makes at UCLA Kind of needs to be drafted by the right, developmental team. Don’t see him succeeding if drafted by a losing franchise Effective downhill finisher, comfortable in his stride A bit too hesitant at times, doesn’t convert the simple play Comfortable off-the-dribble, versatile in the way he scores, can be off-balanced, contested, etc. Groovy player who feels comfortable in regular environments. Succeeds once familiar with the team he’s playing Great floor general when his eyes are up above the floor, effectively sees and reads the defense, setting up those around him Comfortable with both hands by the rim Hungry off-ball player who works for open looks off-the-catch

Amari Bailey should go back to college. He is not league ready at all. He has a very forgettable court presence and his only real plus is his ability to contort his body on finishes and his athleticism. Bailey should not declare for the draft this year. No team should want him. He needs to develop more. If any team picks him in the 2023 draft I'm calling that a massive shot in the dark because he needs more developing.