Former Hornet Amari Bailey Seeking NCAA Return
Amari Bailey, who was selected 41st overall in the 2023 draft and appeared in 10 games on a two-way contract with the Hornets in 2023/24, is trying to become the first player to return to college after playing in NBA games, reports Dan Murphy of ESPN.com.
Still just 21 years old, Bailey played one season at UCLA prior to being drafted. The 6’3″ guard has hired an agent and a lawyer in an attempt to be granted one more season of college eligibility, Murphy writes.
“Right now I’d be a senior in college,” Bailey told ESPN. “I’m not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics. No shade to the guys that do; that’s their journey. But I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So like, why not me?”
Big man Charles Bediako, who spent a couple months with the Spurs on a two-way deal but didn’t appear in any NBA games, has sued the NCAA for an additional year of college eligibility. He was recently granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction regarding his eligibility.
That injunction hearing was delayed earlier this week due to weather, and Bediako’s temporary restraining order was extended for 10 more days, per Jeff Borzelo of ESPN. The judge, an Alabama booster, has recused himself from the case after the NCAA filed a motion asking him to do so, according to Matt Stahl of AL.com.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract,” NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said when asked about Bailey’s plan to return. “Congress can strengthen NCAA rules so professional athletes cannot sue their way back to competing against college students.”
Bailey spent last season in the G League with the Long Island Nets and the Iowa Wolves, averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .434/.325/.714 shooting in 25 games (26.2 MPG). He tells Murphy he has been training at his home in California and hopes to land with a school that gives him a chance to make the Final Four in 2026/27.
“It’s not a stunt,” Bailey said. “I’m really serious about going back. I just want to improve my game, change the perception of me and just show that I can win.”
And-Ones: Bediako, Barcelona, Tax Teams, Worst Contracts
Former G Leaguer Charles Bediako is expected to play for Alabama against Tennessee tonight, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reports.
Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order earlier this week, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction regarding his eligibility.
“We are planning to play him,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “He’s eligible to play. We’re going to follow the court orders.”
It turns out that the judge who issued the order is an Alabama booster, according to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports. Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Jim Roberts and his wife Mary Turner Roberts are listed as active athletic donors on The Crimson Tide Foundation’s website, with lifetime contributions between $100K and $249K.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches held a conference call regarding the matter on Friday. Afterward, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA Senior VP of Basketball, released a statement voicing their concerns about college eligibility, Borzello tweets.
“If these rules surrounding the NCAA pre- and post-draft rules cannot be enforced, it would create an unstable environment” for the student-athletes, schools and the NBA, Gavitt said, in part.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Barcelona plans to pass on the NBA’s proposed league in Europe. FC Barcelona’s Board of Directors issued a statement declaring its allegiance to the EuroLeague: “The Board of Directors has agreed to ratify the extension of the first men’s basketball team’s participation license in the EuroLeague for the next 10 seasons (until the 2035-36 season), a competition of which it is a co-founding member. The Board of Directors reaffirms its desire to always participate in the best existing competitions.”
- In his latest Substack article, cap expert Yossi Gozlan takes a deep dive into the teams over the luxury tax and discusses why some teams just over the line have waited to make moves to get below the threshold. Gozlan also takes a look at how the Sixers are navigating the eligibility clocks for two-way players Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow and MarJon Beauchamp.
- The Sixers‘ star duo of Joel Embiid and Paul George hold the top two spots in the “Worst Value Contracts” in the NBA, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. Jakob Poeltl, Patrick Williams and Dejounte Murray round out the top five among Smith’s top 20 in that category.
And-Ones: Bediako, All-Stars, Rookies, Team-Friendly Deals
Charles Bediako‘s bid to rejoin Alabama’s men’s basketball team more than two years after he was on a two-way contract with an NBA team could have major ramifications, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who notes that NBA clubs will likely be keeping a close eye on the case.
As we outlined on Wednesday, Bediako is suing the NCAA in an attempt to rejoin the Crimson Tide for the rest of the 2025/26 season after spending two years with Alabama from 2021-23. Since going undrafted in 2023, the big man has signed three Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams, including one that the Spurs converted into a two-way deal in the fall of ’23.
Bediako has been granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama while he awaits a hearing on a preliminary injunction.
If Bediako ultimately prevails in his bid for NCAA eligibility, it may necessitate adjustments to the NBA’s draft eligibility rules, Vecenie notes, since there would be nothing stopping players from declaring for the draft after their freshman seasons, then returning to college as NBA free agents if they go undrafted. In that scenario, a player who has a breakout sophomore year could theoretically leave his college program to sign with an NBA team halfway through a season.
Vecenie suggests that the NBA might have to create a new rule stating that an undrafted player who returns to college would reenter the draft pool for the following year. He also wonders if the changing nature of NCAA eligibility rules could result in NBA teams essentially treating college programs like a form of minor leagues — for instance, could the Lakers draft a player and then have him play at a nearby school like UCLA or USC for developmental purposes before he signs an NBA contract?
We have more from around the basketball world:
- A panel of NBA reporters and analysts from ESPN considered whether there are any obvious snubs among this season’s All-Star starters and explored which players deserve to be selected as reserves, while a group of reporters at The Athletic conducted a similar exercise. The general consensus was that there were no egregious mistakes among the first 10 All-Star choices, though Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell would have been worthy starters.
- Arguing that Kon Knueppel has been underappreciated so far this season, ESPN’s Zach Kram places the Hornets wing atop his latest rookie rankings, ahead of Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg at No. 2. Wizards guard Tre Johnson (eighth) and Nets guard Egor Demin (10th) are new additions to Kram’s top 10 since his previous update.
- Which contracts are the NBA’s most team-friendly? Ruling out maximum-salary deals and rookie deals for recently drafted players, Keith Smith of Spotrac shares his top-25 list, headlined by Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN has handed out midseason grades for all 30 NBA teams, with four clubs earning an A: the Celtics, Pistons, Suns, and Spurs.
Dink Pate Exploring NCAA Options, Has Passed On Two-Way Offers
Former G League Ignite guard/forward Dink Pate, who is currently playing for the Westchester Knicks, is exploring potential college options, agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).
As Givony writes (via Twitter), Pate graduated high school in 2023, which could put him in position to receive at least two seasons of NCAA eligibility, beginning next season. However, it’s unclear whether or not the 6’8″ swingman will be granted eligibility based on the NCAA’s current rules.
Like former second-round pick James Nnaji, who enrolled at Baylor this winter, Pate declared for – and kept his name in – an NBA draft (in 2025). However, unlike Nnaji, Pate has since signed an NBA contract, having completed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Knicks this past September.
NCAA president Charlie Baker said in December after Nnaji joined the Bears that any player who has signed an NBA deal, “including a two-way contract,” would not be permitted to play NCAA basketball. According to Givony, Pate has turned down multiple two-way contract offers from NBA teams with an eye toward retaining his college eligibility.
Baker’s comments in December didn’t clarify whether the NCAA views Exhibit 10 contracts as disqualifying. Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed and only put a player in line for a modest bonus if he subsequently spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.
As Givony observes, former Alabama standout Charles Bediako has sued the NCAA in an effort to rejoin the Crimson Tide for the rest of the 2025/26 season (story via Myron Medcalf of ESPN), and the organization’s response to that lawsuit provides a strong hint at its stance on Exhibit 10 deals. In a statement, the NCAA explained that Bediako’s initial bid for eligibility was denied because he has “signed three NBA contracts.” All three of those contracts were Exhibit 10s, though the 23-year-old big man had one of them converted into a two-way deal.
If a judge grants Bediako eligibility, it would make Pate’s situation more straightforward. But even if Bediako’s request for injunctive relief is denied, there may be a path for Pate to mount his own eligibility challenge since he has never been on a two-way contract.
[Update: Bediako has been granted a temporary restraining order, allowing him to participate in activities and games for Alabama, per Nick Kelly of AL.com. A hearing on the preliminary injunction has been scheduled for next Tuesday.]
While Pate is keeping his options open, he hasn’t sought NCAA eligibility to this point and could forgo the college route altogether if a guaranteed NBA deal materializes before the end of the season, per Givony.
Pate has appeared in 27 games for the Knicks’ NBAGL affiliate this season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 34.3 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .385/.356/.745. He spent last season with the Mexico City Capitanes after playing for the Ignite in 2023/24.
Pistons Sign, Waive Four Players
October 17: After spending training camp and preseason with Detroit, Bediako, Garcia and Williams have been waived as well, per the league’s transaction log.
September 18, 9:46 pm: The Pistons have waived Ukomadu, according to the NBA’s transaction log.
September 18, 1:14 pm: The Pistons have signed center Charles Bediako, forwards Dawson Garcia and John Ukomadu, and wing Brice Williams to non-guaranteed training camp contracts, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
Bediako, who went undrafted out of Alabama in 2023, has played in the G League for the past two seasons, first for the Austin Spurs and then for the Grand Rapids Gold. The seven-footer appeared in 50 games for the Gold last season, averaging 9.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per contest, then had his returning rights traded to the Motor City Cruise (Detroit’s affiliate) earlier this week.
Garcia is an undrafted rookie who agreed to a deal with the Pistons in June after a five-year college career that included a three-year stint with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The 6’11” forward put up 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 35.3 minutes per game in 32 outings as a super-senior in 2024/25, with a shooting line of .474/.373/.783.
Ukomadu played for Motor City last season after going undrafted out of Eastern Kentucky in 2024. The 6’7″ forward made 53.0% of shots from the floor, including 45.9% of his three-point tries, but played a relatively modest role for the Pistons’ NBAGL affiliate, averaging 8.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game.
Williams, like Dawson, went undrafted this June, then suited up for Detroit’s Summer League team in Las Vegas. In his final college season at Nebraska in 2024/25, he scored 20.4 points per game on .471/.370/.883 shooting in 35 appearances (all starts). he also contributed 4.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.
All four players likely signed Exhibit 10 contracts, which are non-guaranteed minimum-salary deals that can be converted into two-way contracts before the start of the NBA regular season.
Since all three of the Pistons’ two-way slots are occupied, the more likely outcome for Bediako, Garcia, Ukomadu, and Williams is that they’re waived and then report to the Motor City Cruise — Bediako and Ukomadu would be returning-rights players, while Garcia and Williams could be designated as affiliate players. They’d be eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the Cruise.
Detroit now has a full 21-man offseason roster.
And-Ones: Roster Holes, G League Trades
With the start of training camp mere weeks away, Kevin Pelton of ESPN takes a look at the biggest 2025/26 roster holes for all 30 NBA teams.
Beyond the reigning champion Thunder, who will be bringing back their full playoff lineup and whose perceived biggest need is a fresh arena, Pelton believes every club has personnel issues.
Among top East contenders, Pelton posits that Cleveland could use some help along the wing with injured swingman Max Strus expected to be out for multiple months. Pelton notes that New York may want to add more proven veteran help to shore up its bench. In the West, Pelton observes that the Rockets and Nuggets could use help at the point, while Minnesota could benefit from some additional depth on the perimeter.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- The Pistons‘ G League club, the Motor City Cruise, has traded the returning player rights to big man Cameron Martin and guard Javante McCoy to the Nuggets‘ NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, for the rights to center Charles Bediako and a 2026 international pick, Motor City has announced (Twitter link).
- Raptors 905, the Raptors‘ NBAGL affiliate, is trading their rights to guard Kennedy Chandler to the Sixers‘ G League club, the Delaware Blue Coats, in exchange for wing Patrick McCaw and a future first-rounder, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Murphy tweets that some EuroLeague teams considered bringing McCaw aboard earlier in the offseason. McCaw has been in the G League for four seasons, and Murphy is unsure if he’ll continue suiting up close to NBA scouts or will take a more lucrative offer elsewhere.
- In case you missed it, newly crowned EuroBasket MVP Dennis Schröder cited Hall of Fame countryman Dirk Nowitzki as the major inspiration who helped turn Germany into an international force.
George, Miller Head Canada’s Camp Roster For AmeriCup
NBA players Kyshawn George and Leonard Miller are among the 14-man camp roster unveiled by Canada Basketball for this month’s AmeriCup in Nicaragua, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. The tournament will take place from August 22-31.
George, the 24th pick of the 2024 draft, appeared in 68 games with the Wizards last season, including 38 starts. The 6’8” forward averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.5 minutes per game.
The 6’10” Miller, a 2023 second-round pick, has appeared in a combined 30 games off the bench for the Timberwolves the past two seasons.
It’s somewhat of a disappointment that Canada didn’t get a greater turnout from some of their other young NBA players such as Shaedon Sharpe and Bennedict Mathurin, Lewenberg notes, but it will provide a good opportunity for George and Miller (Twitter link). Quincy Guerrier, Kyle Wiltjer, Nate Darling, Charles Bediako and Mfiondu Kabengele are some of the other familiar names on the camp roster.
Nathaniel Mitchell has been named head coach for the AmeriCup, and will be joined by assistant coaches Ashton Smith, Shawn Swords, and Patrick Tatham, according to a Team Canada press release.
Mitchell previously served as head coach at the 2022 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup, where Canada finished fourth in Brazil. Training camp for this summer’s tournament began today in Toronto. Team Canada will hold some exhibition games in Miami prior to the tournament.
Spurs’ McDaniels Among Wednesday’s Cuts
The Spurs waived forward Jalen McDaniels on Wednesday, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
San Antonio acquired McDaniels earlier this week from the Kings in a salary dump. The deal sent McDaniels, cash, and the Kings’ unprotected 2031 second-round pick to San Antonio in exchange for the Bulls’ top-55 protected 2025 second-round pick.
At the time of the deal, it was reported the Spurs did not intend to keep McDaniels. San Antonio will be on the hook for McDaniels’ $4.74MM expiring contract, which it absorbed using its $8MM room exception. The Spurs have one of the lowest team salaries in the NBA and still have plenty of room below the tax line after eating his contract.
We have more waiver moves from Wednesday:
- The Nuggets waived Andrew Funk, Will Richardson and Charles Bediako. That trio was signed to Exhibit 10 deals last week. They’ll each earn a bonus worth $77.5K if they join Denver’s G League club, the Grand Rapids Gold, and remain with the team for at least 60 days.
- The Bucks waived guard James Akinjo. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in late August. The guard split time last season between the Stockton Kings and Wisconsin Herd. He’ll be eligible for $77.5K bonus if he rejoins the Herd and remains with them for at least 60 days.
Nuggets Sign Richardson, Funk, Bediako To Exhibit 10 Deals
The Nuggets have signed Will Richardson, Andrew Funk and Charles Bediako, according to a team press release. All three players signed Exhibit 10 deals, according to the Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto (Twitter link).
The Nuggets made room for the trio by waiving Gabe McGlothan, Jaylin Williams, and Jahmir Young.
Richardson went undrafted in 2023 before signing with the Grand Rapids Gold last season. The former Oregon guard averaged 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 17.8 minutes per contest for Denver’s G League affiliate.
Funk also went undrafted last year before joining the Nuggets during training camp. Funk, who played college ball at Bucknell and Penn State, also appeared in four of the Nuggets’ Summer League games in 2023. He eventually signed a two-way contract with the Bulls in February, but was waived in July.
The seven-foot Bediako played two college season at Alabama. Bediako, who was also undrafted in 2023, has appeared in Summer League games for both the Spurs and the Magic. Denver’s intent to sign Bediako was previously reported.
It’s likely all three will be waived. They’ll each be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if they join the Gold and remain with the G League club for at least 60 days.
Charles Bediako Signing With Nuggets
Free agent center Charles Bediako is signing a contract with the Nuggets, Bediako’s agent Daniel Green informs Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The terms of the deal have yet to be divulged. But given the timing – and the fact that Denver is carrying 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals – it’s likely to be a training camp contract, probably with Exhibit 10 language. The Nuggets don’t have an open roster spot, so someone will need to be cut to make room for Bediako.
Bediako went undrafted out of Alabama in 2023, but ultimately latched on with the Spurs on a two-way deal for the 2023/24 season. However, he was cut near the end of December after tearing his meniscus.
The raw seven-footer didn’t appear in any NBA games for San Antonio, but did play in a total of 17 Showcase Cup and regular season bouts for the club’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
Across six regular season matchups with Austin after returning from his knee injury, Bediako averaged 1.3 points and 1.7 rebounds while playing just 4.2 minutes per game. Prior to the injury, he put up 7.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG in 19.0 MPG across 11 Showcase Cup outings.
Most recently, the 22-year-old spent his Summer League this past July suiting up for the Magic.
Denver is almost certainly bringing on Bediako with an eye toward having him play for the team’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. The Gold acquired Bediako’s NBAGL returning rights from Austin in July.