Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey made history with their decision to play for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who had never had a pair of five-star high school recruits commit to their program. Though Rutgers was unable to put together a season worthy of an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, both players will enter the 2025 NBA Draft as consensus top-three prospects. On top of that, Harper and Bailey became the first Big Ten duo to score 500+ points each in a single season since former Michigan “Fab Five” members Chris Webber and Jalen Rose.
Notably, Webber and Rose were both lottery picks. In fact, Webber went on to be a Rookie of the Year award winner, five-time All-Star and Hall of Fame inductee. Now, Harper and Bailey get to try to do the same.
Rutgers’ Dylan Harper Shares His Ace Bailey Scouting Report
Their season now over, Harper and Bailey can focus on this summer’s NBA Draft, working on their games and bodies. People that have been dissecting their tape all year will eventually get a chance to see them in individual settings. The testing they undergo at the NBA Draft Combine could lead to some adjustments in their assessments.
With that being said, Harper already has a scouting report for Bailey, which he shared with For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
“My favorite part about him is the joy he brings to the game,” Harper says of Bailey. “No matter what is going on, he is going to have high energy and things like that.”
However, while Bailey’s intangibles are what he’s enjoyed the most, his skillset has sparkled as well.
“He is one of those guys who, at 6-foot-10, you can give the ball to him and he can get a bucket at will,” Harper tells Kalbrosky. “That’s really him. He knows how to use his body and get to his spots. There’s no complaints about playing with him at all.”
“(Bailey’s) is a twitchy player,” he adds. “He is tall, lanky, and he is such a presence throughout the game whether it’s rebounding or defending or getting a bucket. He is going to do what you need him to do.”
Harper’s evaluation more or less matches the general consensus. His combination of length and shot-making ability has given him the feel of a star-caliber prospect. Nobody knows what heights he’ll ultimately reach.
ACE BAILEY HAVE YOURSELF A NIGHT SIR
▪️ 37 PTS
▪️ 13-20 FG
▪️ 5-8 3PT
▪️ 6 REB
▪️ 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/DfrxL36ARw— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 30, 2025
However, his physical tools and guard skills shouldn’t be overlooked by anyone.
More Than Meets The Eye
There’s one aspect of basketball where the lines between intangible and tangible skills are blurred: IQ.
Nobody can really see how intelligent another person is. Though there are tests that can assess crystallized memory and the like, intellect isn’t quite like height or weight. There’s not a universal way to measure it; cultural differences often making the concept of IQ more subjective than objective.
Nonetheless, players with a high basketball IQ often have a level of awareness and processing that allows them to be quicker or better decision-makers.
Ace Bailey is demonstrating important strides lately with his decision-making, ball-handling, passing and defensive awareness. He’s a ball of clay at 18-years old, with unlimited long-term upside. pic.twitter.com/ZqMuhNUEtf
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 18, 2025
On the court, this can result in tangible differences. In terms of ball-movement, they may have a higher assist rate or lower turnover rate. In terms of defense, they may find it easier to anticipate their matchup’s movement or to call out a play their opponent is running.
Because of Bailey’s low assist rate, there might be some amateur or professional scouts who question his basketball IQ. However, according to Harper, the 18-year-old “is a very high IQ player.”
“He sees things before they happen.”
For those who have watched Bailey, it’s evident that his assist numbers don’t completely reflect his abilities.
Defense is a floor raiser for Ace Bailey. By now, he has accumulated some above-average stocks – 4% block and 1.7% steal rates. The length and athleticism definitely project Bailey to be an above-average defender.
The second aspect is the passing – this is a ceiling raiser for… pic.twitter.com/SZ9438NVLG
— the center hub (@thecenterhub_bb) March 3, 2025
For starters, he often makes passes that would’ve resulted in an assist if his teammates had converted the attempt. Furthermore, he isn’t always looking to make the pass that will lead to a basket. Swinging the rock around might not lead to an assist but it ultimately helps the offense find the best shot.
Bailey could certainly stand to sharpen up in terms of his precision. However, he’s still demonstrated the potential to be a floor-raiser as a facilitator.
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
