LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson … the greats of basketball left a legend that the next generation of basketball stars are striving to live up to. Luckily, that legend is in good hands with new players like Amari Bailey.
As a high school student, he was solicited by popular schools like UCLA, Duke, Kentucky, and more. After his commitment to UCLA, he’s set to become one of basketball’s biggest stars.
At a young age, Amari Bailey has already had his share of time in the limelight. From his impressive basketball highlights so far to his involvement with big names like LeBron James and Drake, Bailey is a young star worth keeping an eye on.
We’ve assembled a guide to Amari Bailey’s life, stats, and future. Keep reading to learn more about basketball’s newest hero!
Playing With Bronny James
LeBron James is one of the biggest names in the sports world, ranking with legends like Babe Ruth or Peyton Manning. It only makes sense that his son, Bronny James, would carry on the torch.
Of course, a famous father doesn’t guarantee any sort of talent in the NBA. For Bronny James, it’s different. He plays at Sierra Canyon High School, which is an elite private school.
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Sierra Canyon also happens to be Amari Bailey’s school, where the two play together. As teammates, they shine on the court and are garnering a lot of attention together.
Because of the celebrity-ridden nature of the school, figures like Drake, Michael B. Jordan, and LeBron James himself show up regularly. Playing sports in high school is a lot different when some of the biggest celebrities in the world are taking up courtside seats.
This type of high-stakes environment produces some unique social situations. For instance, rumors have surfaced about Drake and Amari Bailey’s mom.
Amari Bailey’s Mom
Johanna Leia has made quite a name for herself. As an Instagram influencer and reality TV star on a show based around raising a young basketball star, she has a lot going for her.
Raising such a prodigy is a unique situation for a mother, though. That’s why rumors started to fly years ago about potential romantic involvement between her and Drake.
They were spotted together at a Sierra Canyon game, with pictures and videos suggesting they might know each other off the court as well. And shortly after, their relationship was confirmed when Johanna was spotted with Drake on a date. It was in an empty Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, as the couple enjoyed a private dinner after the Canadian rapper rented out the entire building.
There’s even footage of the date, as a drone flew over this cozy couple as they enjoyed a fancy meal and chatted each other up:
Amari Bailey’s Father
If Amari gets his social media and personal brand-savvy from his mother, he certainly gets his passion for sports from his father. If you’re a football fan or have followed the Indianapolis Colts, you’ve likely heard of Aaron Bailey.
As the wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts for five seasons, Aaron Bailey passed some great genes onto his son. However, it’s unknown how involved his father is in his son’s life.
In an Instagram post praising his mother, Amari Bailey called her a single parent. Even if Aaron Bailey isn’t involved in his son’s day-to-day life, he should be very proud.
Amari Bailey’s Future
Amari Bailey has a bright future ahead of him as a UCLA commit. Although, one can’t help but wonder if he could have made the transition from high school basketball, straight to the NBA, had it still been allowed.
The NBA currently has a rule that mandates at least one year of college before drafting players into the NBA. This helps weed out those who peaked in high school and don’t have what it takes to perform on a collegiate or professional level. It also helps educate players, which can be useful if their professional basketball career ends early.
There’s no telling what will happen at UCLA. But given his current trajectory, it’s easy to project that he’ll be successful.
Amari Bailey highlights are a dime a dozen. As one of the most talented, hardworking players at Sierra Canyon, his position is shooting guard. One of his main strengths is anticipation.
Some sports players rely on brute force to get them through the game. While this works sometimes, it’s also a dangerous game to play when it comes to basketball. The best players need the intelligence to anticipate moves, predict what other players will do, and run point efficiently on the court.
This is a skill that he possesses in spades. Amari Bailey as a basketball player is patient and intense, a combination that helps him avoid mistakes on the court and maximize his potential.
Looking Ahead
When looking at Amari Bailey’s past, he’s always been a top pick for the nation’s most prestigious collegiate teams. He committed to UCLA at fourteen years old and then proceeded to de-commit eight months later.
The same thing happened earlier in eighth grade. He committed to DePaul at the time but decommited before ever entering high school.
However, Bailey’s commitment to UCLA is looking solid as he led the USA team to a gold medal at the FIBA Championship in Brazil in 2019. In ESPN’s top rankings, he’s number 3.
With a future this bright, Bailey is expected to be a hot ticket in the NBA when it comes to performing at a professional level. Following in the footsteps of his five-season NFL player father, Amari Bailey’s stats are looking good moving forward.
Moving Forward as Amari Bailey
At his young age, you might expect Amari Bailey’s Instagram to be full of normal high school moments—prom, romantic partners, getting a driver’s license, and committing to a school.
However, nothing has been normal for Amari since he was cut from his basketball team in fourth grade. This experience put a chip on his shoulder and gave him the drive he needed to succeed.
Now, he’s set to be one of the best basketball players in the world. With this type of talent and drive going for him, the trajectory of Amari Bailey is set to be supersonic.
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