David Bailey (basketball)

David Bailey
Born	(1981-03-03) March 3, 1981 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Years active	1999–200x
Known for	Point guard for Loyola Ramblers men's basketball team; CBA Rookie of the Year; CBA champion with Sioux Falls Skyforce

David Bailey (born March 3, 1981) is an American professional basketball athlete, primarily recognized for his role as a point guard with the Loyola Ramblers men's basketball squad from 1999 through 2003. Throughout his collegiate tenure, he secured three All-Horizon League honors—two of which were first-team distinctions—led the conference in both scoring and assists, and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team. David is the elder sibling of former Horizon League competitor Martell Bailey, and the two shared two seasons within the league, including a notable matchup against each other in a Horizon League tournament final.

High school

Standing at and , Bailey guided Westinghouse High School to the quarterfinal stage of the Chicago Public School League championships during his junior year. Although he missed approximately a month in his senior season due to a wrist fracture, he made a mid-January return and contributed to his team's advancement to the semifinals. After the season concluded, Bailey and teammate Cedrick Banks were named to the first-team All-Chicago Public School League, while Martell received second-team honors. Recognized as a second-team All-state player, Bailey ultimately committed to Loyola University, despite recruitment interest from Rhode Island, Northern Illinois, and Southwestern Louisiana. Loyola's head coach Larry Farmer was encouraged to recruit Bailey following a recommendation from former coach John Wooden.

College

Bailey quickly established himself at Loyola starting in 1999, gaining acclaim for several standout performances early in his collegiate career. Renowned for his dunking prowess, he earned first-team All-Horizon League accolades in both the 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons, followed by second-team honors in 2002–03, which he shared with his brother. Additionally, he was selected for the 2001–02 All-Tournament Team.

A highlight of his college career occurred during the 2002 Horizon League men's basketball tournament final when Bailey's fifth-seeded Ramblers faced off against his brother Martell's sixth-seeded Flames. The entire family was present as spectators for this intense contest that extended into overtime; Martell’s team ultimately secured a narrow one-point victory on a decisive steal. Despite the defeat, David tallied an impressive 35 points and received commendation for his resilient performance throughout the season.

During his collegiate career, Bailey was honored as Horizon League Player of the Week on three occasions. He led the league in assists during the 2000–01 season with 170 total assists (averaging 6.1 per game) and topped scoring charts the following year with 651 points (21.7 per game). Upon concluding his college tenure in 2003, he ranked tenth all-time in Horizon League scoring with 1,933 points, stood third in Loyola’s history for total points scored, and held the school record for most three-point field goals made. His final home appearance featured a memorable contest against his brother.

Professional career

Bailey launched his professional journey in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) with the Idaho Stampede during the 2003–04 campaign and was honored as the league’s Rookie of the Year. He went on to claim a CBA championship title with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2005.

His overseas career included competing in France’s premier league, Ligue Nationale de Basketball (Pro A), where he played for teams such as Le Mans Sarthe Basket, BCM Gravelines, and Hyères-Toulon Var Basket. Additionally, Bailey took part in Estonia’s top-tier league, the Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML), representing Tartu Ülikool/Rock. He also returned stateside to participate in the NBA Development League with stints at the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and again with the Idaho Stampede.

Personal

Bailey's immediate family consists of his mother, Linda Riley, his father, David Bailey, along with two elder brothers and a younger sister named Dakita.

External links

• Collection of articles from the Chicago Tribune
• Collegiate statistics available at Sports-reference.com
• Professional career details on Eurobasket.com