NBA Draft: Ace Bailey is expected to join Duke star in the NBA

To say that this has been a tough season for the New Orleans Pelicans would be a huge understatement. They’ve struggled with injuries from the very beginning of the campaign.

Ironically, Zion Williamson has been mostly healthy, so he hasn’t been the problem. If there’s a silver lining, it is that the team will most likely get a top-three pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

According to a report by Angelo Guinhawa of Hardwood Heroics, the Pelicans are projected to have the second-overall pick, and with it, a chance to draft Ace Bailey out of Rutgers.

Mock draft has the Pelicans getting Ace Bailey

“In the latest NBA mock draft, the New Orleans Pelicans are predicted to pick the promising talent of Ace Bailey from Rutgers,” wrote Guinhawa. “The 18-year-old forward brings an enticing combination of size and skill that has garnered significant attention leading up to the 2025 draft.”

Williamson of the Pelicans

Of course, some have doubts about Bailey’s shot selection and lack of perimetral stats, as he has a tendency to be a gunslinger who doesn’t get his teammates involved.

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Then again, the potential is just too big to ignore, and with Brandon Ingram no longer there, the Pelicans could certainly use another big forward to pair with Zion Williamson.