The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have two of the projected top-three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. As such, one would only imagine that they would be among the best teams in the nation.
However, that hasn’t been the case so far. They’re currently 15th in the Big Ten with a 3-5 record, and they’ve gone 10-9 overall despite having Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.
When asked about that, former NBA star Jalen Rose talked about the issues that come with playing like a team, as talent alone isn’t enough to get the job done in this game.
Jalen Rose discusses Rutgers, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey
“(It’s a) team game,” Rose told NBC Sports. “Even though you have two lottery picks, you still have to fill out the rest of the roster and they’re just not deep enough, not good enough as their opponents.”
“But as the season progresses, again, that’s the challenge of your two best players, is to make the people around you better, and I want to see if they’re able to do that,” he continued.
At the end of the day, both Bailey and Harper are fully expected to become stars at the next level. Nevertheless, what they do now could help shape the narrative around them, not to mention make them legends on campus.