Rutgers stars Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are earning different levels of enthusiasm from NBA scouts early in their freshman seasons, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.
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Scouts are “effusive” about Harper, but determining the NBA readiness of Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey will require more “complex evaluation,” according to Woo.
“His early play has showcased his immense talent as arguably the best tough shotmaker in this class, but also the incomplete areas of his skill set, which teams are scrutinizing closely in comparison to other candidates atop this draft class,” Woo wrote.
The report follows Rutgers’ participation in Players Era Festival, where Woo reported that seeing Bailey and Harper play was a “major” reason NBA scouts attended the eight-team tournament in Las Vegas.
Harper meanwhile opened the tournament with 36 points and 37 points in back-to-back games. His lowest output of the tournament came when he recorded 18 points on 30 percent shooting from the field against the Aggies.
Rutgers head coach Nate Oats was effusive in his praise of both freshman, who lead the Scarlet Knights in scoring through eight games, after the two combined for 59 points in a tournament loss to Alabama.
Oats told reporters (h/t ESPN’s Myron Medcalf) that Harper “pretty much gets to the rim whenever he wants,” and that Bailey is “the best midrange shot-maker I’ve seen.”
With at least 23 games remaining in Rutgers’ season, there’s plenty of time left for Bailey to get scouts as enthusiastic about his prospects as Oats is. Both he and Harper are projected as top-three 2025 NBA Draft picks in the latest mock by Bleacher Report’s
