Rutgers Star Ace Bailey Receives High Praise Before 2025 NBA Draft
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The 2025 NBA Draft is just around the corner, which means the hype surround Rutgers Scarlet Knights' Ace Bailey continues to grow leading up to the big day. And while it's unclear where he will end up, many are excited about his high ceiling at the next level.
Despite noting his lack of size as a concern, NBA Draft on SI's Roshan Potluri gave praise to Bailey on his dynamic play style on offense and his versatility on defense.
"Still, his potential as a dynamic play finisher and versatile defender makes him a strong outcome in any draft," Potluri wrote. "I would not rule out any creation outcomes as Bailey’s shooting is extremely versatile and rare for his size, which could open up enough gravity long-term to develop his handle and pattern recognition. The track record of wings/forwards with an assist to usage as low as Bailey becoming a creator is poor, but his scoring tools make him a unique case."
In addition to his claims of Bailey being a rare prospect, Potluri also mentioned that the former Scarlet Knight star has a floor of Saddiq Bey and a ceiling of three-time All-NBA forward DeMar DeRozan.
At 6'10, Ace Bailey boasts exceptional shot-making prowess. He is one of the youngest prospects in this draft, not turning 19 until August, and brings insatiable aggressiveness and high-level intensity defensively to complement his outstanding scoring instincts. https://t.co/3disvqg3aA pic.twitter.com/GGIfARjffF
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 23, 2025
After just one year with Rutgers, the 18-year-old phenom proved to live up to the hype, as he averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season. Bailey also displayed his ability to score from all three levels of the court, shooting 34.6 percent from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-8, the young talent will have to add some strength to his game in order to compete at the next level. However, Bailey clearly possesses the capability to be a lethal two-way player in the NBA.
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Dylan Feltovich attended John Carroll University and started working for numerous sites in the On SI network in 2023 as a staff writer. He has covered high school and college events around the Northeast Ohio area for several years.