NBA Comparison: Brandon Miller/Paul George

Strengths: Bailey is a thin 6’10 wing/forward prospect with outstanding dimensions and physical tools that will allow him to play up to four positions on the court…His length is certainly decent and only adds to his tantalizing physical profile…A coordinated player with long striding yet twitchy athleticism, and he is able to cover massive ground on the court as well as show good leaping skills and foot speed for his size in the open floor…As formidable a weapon putting the ball in the hoop as there is in the 2025 Class; uses his size well to shoot over contests, with nice touch and a high release that has proven extremely difficult to block at the amateur level and projects to stand up just as well as a pro (20.7 PPG as a Fr.)…Really versatile scoring profile that features 3-point shooting (41 3FG% on 5.1 3FGA/G), midrange post-ups, quick dribble pull-ups in isolation, and transition opportunities for good measure (48 FG%)…Good in the ‘triple threat’ when on an island and doesn’t need to dribble much to put up points…Has plenty of moves and impressive footwork for a 6’10 player; nice assortment of shots he uses in the mid-range area that will only get more polished with time…Some flashes of ability to run off screens or to open spots as a dribble drive valve for teammates and hit shots as a movement shooter…Adequate comfort handling at the point of attack; growing nuance utilizing screens…Outstanding transition player who gets up (and off) the floor quickly and finishes plays with authority if he’s given any daylight and occasionally through contact…Is used to receiving extra attention from defenses and will aggressively find ways to get free to receive the ball and look to generate offense…Can get rolling, and when he does, get out of his way (8 games with 9+ made FGs, 3 30-point games in 19 games played as of writing)…Size also comes in handy as a defender; is tall and long enough to defend frontcourt players but also can move his feet and smother defenders on the perimeter…Promising signs as a freelancing help defender; uses his physical ability, instincts and quick jumping very well to be a threat swatting or altering shots near the rim on the weakside (1.4 BPG)…Had some promising moments as an on-ball defender this season too, both switching and moving on the perimeter and occasionally using his length to wall up in the post, and has the quick hands and anticipation needed to jump passing lanes for steals that lead to runouts (1.1 SPG)…Contributes on the glass (7.8 RPG); is a factor grabbing missed shots and initiating offense (5.7 DRPG) and his nose for the ball and 2nd jump quickness once again shows itself with his penchant for put-back dunks (2.1 ORPG)…A feisty competitor who won’t back down from any matchups…Plenty of untapped potential, which is scary to think about considering his excellent production at this early stage

Weaknesses: His shot creation ability off the dribble could use polish; not particularly shifty and has mediocre ball-handling ability on the perimeter right now…Doesn’t get to the rim very much when he looks to create considering his tools, and the ball slows him down a bit as a slasher even when attacking in a straight-line…Lack of ability to penetrate into the paint with any consistency leads to him settling for jumpers and being dependent on his tools to hit tightly contested shots repeatedly…Somewhat predictable when he puts the ball on the deck too; attempts alot of drifting pull-ups when he gets cut off attacking the ball with his right…Poor assist numbers this season (only 3 games with 2+ assists) and while he has better court vision than the stats suggest, he gets tunnel vision and you generally can count on a shot going up if the ball is in his hands (0.8 APG, 0.4/1 A/TO)…Can be loose with the ball, and had mixed results handling hard double-teams when he put the ball on the deck…Feel for the game and basketball IQ are a work in progress…Gets himself out of position at times looking to force turnovers defensively, and could work on his possession-by-possession fundamentals on this end…Sometimes doesn’t sink his hips and plays too upright, allowing slashers to stack him on his heels occasionally to negate his size and shot-blocking by getting into his slight frame and drawing fouls (2.8 FPG, fouled out of 2 games)…Speaking of which, adding more muscle to his frame will be needed to better help him deal with contact and physical play at the NBA level…Competitive but will have to rein in his emotions better and watch what he says to refs; has picked up 3 techs this season which is a high number for a college player

Overall: Ace Bailey is a prospect who grew to fame in the Atlanta area as a blue chip recruit, playing every position and dominating at McEachern HS, where he won Mr. Basketball honors in Georgia as a Sr., was a McDonalds AA, Jordan Brand, and Nike Hoop Summit selection, as well as the consensus top 2 recruit nationally in a ballyhooed 2024 HS Class…Bailey committed to Rutgers during his Jr. season as the highest rated recruit to sign with the Scarlet Knights program in its history as a coup with fellow blue chipper and 2025 draft prospect Dylan Harper, that went into this season with much fanfare and hype…While Rutgers season has been disappointing relative to expectations as a team, Bailey has continued to show the eye-opening size and shot-making that gives him the groundwork of a potentially special pro, as he currently leads all Fr. in PPG while also leading his team in rebounds and blocks…His versatility and range defensively also stand out and he offers a great deal of upside as a two-way performer…His shot selection and handle both needing to tighten up go together hand-in-hand, as he settled because he struggled to attack the rim off the dribble cleanly and thus didn’t pressure the paint or get to the line as much as someone with his tools should…His inexperience and the lack of nuance he currently shows make him a prospect with a good bit to learn as he rounds out his game, but for someone who’s just scratching the surface of their potential to be as productive as Bailey has been, it serves as a clear reminder of the franchise cornerstone type of talent that he possesses…Bailey will be a green room invite and lock to be selected in the top half of the lottery with most projections as high as the 2nd pick in the 2025 Draft …

Jorrye Nixon 2/13/25

Strengths: 6’9 athletic forward … Good size and length for position … High-level athleticism, among the best in the class. Runs the floor and quick off the ground with an impressive second jump, showing high-level quick twitch. Attacks the rim and will dunk in the crowded paint. Seeks out dunk opportunities in half-court situations. Big strides and covers ground well when driving … Natural shooting touch and high release point on shot. Solid midrange pull-up and has potential as a scoring threat in the post. Gets his shot off fairly easily against any defender. Shows a step-back, turnaround jumper, spins, reverse pivots, and other flashes of footwork from midrange. Cand fadeaway over either shoulder … Shooting range extends to the 3PT line … Good activity and moves well off the ball … Capable of making impressive passes and reads, sometimes out of the post while other times off the dribble. Aware of his passing options, moves the ball quick, and accurately hits his target cross-court with either hand … Good rebounder for position on both ends … Good tools with his length, quickness, and versatility on the defensive end. Moves well laterally and covers ground quickly. Blocks shots well for position. Can block jump shooters on when closing out, as he can get out quicker than the shooter anticipates … High-level two-way potential and has natural ability that other players in the class can’t match… Highly active and plays hard … Younger for his class, will turn 18 in August of his freshman year of college …

Weaknesses: Has improved strength over his senior year but still looking to fill out his body frame … While he can get a shot off nearly whenever he wants, he can work on being more efficient scoring with better shot selection and look to expand on his offensive game. Can force offense at times, sometimes predetermining his moves and shot selection rather than feeling out the flow of the game or how the defense is playing him … 3PT shot has inconsistent arc. He’s definitely capable of shooting from distance but he’s more on the streaky side than knockdown at this time. Can smooth out release on pull-ups off the dribble … Can improve as a ball-handler. Dribbles high and plays a bit too upright. Crossovers and changing directions with the ball aren’t always smooth. Lacks wiggle trying to get by his guy, which often ends up with a midrange step-back. Tends to settle on jump shots, sometimes off-balanced and would like to see more scoring in the paint. Can be turnover prone … Good tools defensively but can tighten up on that end. There are times he seems content with being solid on closeouts and contests but can look to make the shooter more uncomfortable going into their shot and releasing, there are other times he bites for shot fakes and leaves his feet on closeouts … Still has a way to go maturing and improving his basketball IQ …

Outlook: Incoming Rutgers freshman … MVP of the 2022 Underclassman All-American Game with 34 points … Played in the 2023 UA Next Elite 24 … 2024 McDonald’s All-American … Scored 14 points in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit … 2024 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year … 2024 Naismith All-American 1^st Team …

Evan Tomes 7/29/24

Strengths: 6’8 athletic wing … Good size and length for position … High-level athleticism, among the best in the class. Runs the floor and quick off the ground with an impressive second jump, showing high-level quick twitch. Attacks the rim and will dunk in the crowded paint. Seeks out dunk opportunities in half-court situations … Natural shooting touch. Solid midrange pull-up and has potential as a scoring threat in the post. Shows a step-back, turnaround jumper, spins, reverse pivots, and other flashes of footwork from midrange … Shooting range extends to the 3PT line … Good activity and moves well off the ball … Capable of making impressive passes and reads, sometimes out of the post while other times off the dribble. Aware of his passing options, moves the ball quick, and accurately hits his target cross-court with either hand … Good rebounder for position … Good tools with his length, quickness, and versatility on the defensive end. Moves well laterally and covers ground quickly. Blocks shots well for position … High-level two-way potential and has natural ability that other players in the class can’t match … Younger for his class, will turn 18 in August of his freshman year of college …

Weaknesses: Has room to get stronger but frame should fill out over time … Can work on being more efficient scoring with better shot selection and look to expand on his offensive game … 3PT shot has a tad too much arc, he’s definitely capable of shooting from distance but he’s more on the streaky side than knockdown at this time. Can smooth out release on pull-ups off the dribble … Can improve as a ball-handler. Dribbles high and plays a bit too upright. Crossovers and changing directions with the ball aren’t always smooth. Lacks wiggle trying to by his guy, which often ends up with a midrange step-back. Tends to settle on jump shots, would like to see more scoring in the paint. Can be turnover prone … Good tools defensively but can tighten up on that end. There are times he seems content with being solid on closeouts and contests but can look to make the shooter more uncomfortable going into their shot and releasing, there are other times he bites for shot fakes and leaves his feet on closeouts …

Outlook: Full name: Airious “Ace’ Bailey … Rutgers commit … MVP of the 2022 Underclassman All-American Game with 34 points … Played in the 2023 UA Next Elite 24 …

Evan Tomes 10/22/23