2023-24 Charlotte Hornets
087 · 2026-02-02 · easy
You can't seem to get anything done in 2026 America unless you present yourself as a wronged party. You won't overcome obstacles unless you frame your position as an uphill underdog struggle for basic human rights. "In my view, our constitution and laws don’t allow entities to discriminate against American kids," said Elliot Abrams last week. Not the Iran-Contra guy with two T's, this is the one-T trial lawyer who will go down in history for rewiring the NCAA's eligibility framework. "In what world can a group of colleges get together to prevent a college-aged kid from returning to college, simply because he signed a contract with a particular employer?" Yeah, yeahhh! What do they think this is, Soviet China? The particular employer is a National Basketball Association franchise, and the devastated victim in question is called Amari Bailey. Following a one-and-done at UCLA and early entry into the 2023 NBA Draft pool, the 6-3 combo guard signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Hornets worth $559,782. Bailey appeared ten times during a 21-61 tankathon that resulted in Tidjane Salaun, and he even scored 11 points in 22 minutes during the season finale against Cleveland. His two pro seasons also cover 28 G League games, with a 10/3/5 slash line. Our potential barrier-smasher doesn't have a Division I destination lined up, at least that's what his lawyer says, and the struggle to get four-ish seasons of NCAA eligibility back will be presented in court as an appropriate-age issue. "Right now I'd be a senior in college," the 21-year-old told ESPN. "I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So, like, why not me?" Yeah, Yeahhh! Why not him? Why not any of us? Why not all of us, storming the court and getting real paid. Depending on your point of view, especially as it concerns your patience with the current state of college basketball, Bailey is either the Jackie Robinson of late capitalism or more lube for the slippery slope. And I'm going to keep saying this until it comes true, whether that's next week or next summer: the man at the bottom is Isaiah Thomas.
