Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey out-duel Kasparas Jakucionis in Big 10 matchup

On Wednesday night, three of the top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft battled in New Brunswick, New Jersey, a Big 10 matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Featuring top-five locks in freshman teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, and another likely high-lotto pick in freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, the outcome was an 82-73 Rutgers upset over 23rd-ranked Illinois.

Dylan Harper (28 points) led all scorers in the game, shooting 7-for-15 from the field and hitting 11-of-12 free-throw attempts. He also added six rebounds, six assists, and four steals to his overall stat line, making him the best player on the floor Wednesday night. Harper mesmerized on offense with stop-and-go jumpers, hard cuts leading to rim finishes, up-and-under layups off of drives, and three-point shots off of the bounce. He was truly locked in, unaffected by the opposing defense despite the different ways they tried to adjust to his skillset. He made light work of a talented Illinois team by knifing through them with a top-notch functional handle and shooting the lights out (3-for-5 from deep).

Ace Bailey was similarly impressive, scoring 18 points on 7-for-13 from the field with only four of his points coming from the line (4-for-4 on free throws), and none coming from behind the arc. He dazzled with a combination of midrange looks, dunks, and scores at the rim, a great example of his steady progress this season. He was often criticized earlier in the year for being too reliant on the jumper and not using his 6-foot-9 frame to his advantage enough, and he helped quell some of those worries on Wednesday. He also demonstrated some of the other aspects of his game with which scouts are infatuated, namely his rebounding (11 boards) and defensive impact (three blocks). He also had two assists, a positive indicator considering arguably his biggest flaw is lacking playmaking ability.

On the other end, Kasparas Jakucionis struggled mightily against a stingy Rutgers defense, relying on Tomislav Ivisic for most of their offense in the post, as Jakucionis struggled at the rim in this game and overall from the field (seven points, two rebounds, and two assists on 2-for-8 with three turnovers and four fouls). He had arguably the worst game of his freshman campaign (compared to his lofty standards), as he has on the year put up 15.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game and proven himself over and over as one of the best guards in the country. His very first touch of the night, an unforced travel in transition, set the tone for the rest of the outing unfortunately.

So what did Rutgers do to frustrate the Lithuanian future NBA star? For one thing, they switched on ball screens, which made it much more difficult for Jakucionis to poke and prod his way through the defense as he typically does. They also pressured the ball heavily by trapping him whenever he initially caught it, putting him so out of rhythm that even when he could create separation and get a good look, he was unable to convert consistently.

Another potential draft prospect that should be mentioned for his performance is Illinois wing Will Riley, who helped make up for Jakucionis' off night with 18 points on some truly difficult shot attempts. Though he finished just 6-for-16, he was still a spark-plug on the offensive end, a developing role for a burgeoning movement shooter whose strength at the next level could be coming off of screens and hitting threes. Though he won't be a first-round pick this season if he does declare, he is still just a true freshman, meaning he can take another year of NIL money to develop and ready his game for the NBA in 2026. A five-star player out of Canada in the class of 2024, Riley is still a young player that has high levels of potential. He is a name to watch for next season.

While Jakucionis had a bad outing, he's still clearly, from his tape, a high-lotto prospect. Whether he goes as high as third overall, as he's been mocked by some, remains to be seen, but he does have to improve upon how he deals with defenders under heavy ball pressure as well as be a more consistent shooter off of the bounce to increase versatility of the pick-and-roll on offense.

As for Harper, he looks every bit of the second-overall pick behind Cooper Flagg, and would likely be the top-overall pick in a good amount of drafts (certainly including last year's). His offensive game is standalone and he can score in so many ways while also facilitating and playing a true lead initiator role. His defense is coming along, and his size at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds as a point guard makes him a part of the class of "jumbo creators" like Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Cade Cunningham. With everything he brings, he is a franchise-changing talent.

Bailey has also been special this season; it's not often you get a 6-foot-9 wing with the fluidity and elite shotmaking ability that he possesses. Yes, he has his flaws in his handle and playmaking, but his game has really started to round into shape recently, especially in the other areas that excite scouting departments. His rebounding and defensive tools only reinforce the fact that Bailey is a special talent that could very well be selected right after his teammate on draft night.

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