NCAAB News: Eastern Conference team projected to draft Ace Bailey

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have the most entertaining duo to watch in all of college basketball. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey all look like can’t-miss prospects at the next level.

Bailey is currently slated to be the third-overall pick in the upcoming edition of the NBA Draft. He’s drawn comparisons to players like Kevin Durant or Michael Porter Jr.

That’s why, with the Toronto Raptors struggling and currently projected to have the third selection in the Draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report believes Bailey will end up in Canada.

Raptors projected to get Ace Bailey

“It’s a difficult skill to defend from a 6’10” wing, and one that will continue to create advantages for him at the next level,” Wasserman wrote. “Shooting 45.1 percent off the dribble, Bailey also has that special knack for separating into jumpers and hitting contested ones from any spot.”

Ace Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights runs out the court before their game against the Texas A&M Aggies during the Players Era Festival basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

However, it’s not all positive. Like all young players, he also has flaws in his game that will need to be coached and developed. Even so, he’s a no-brainer with a top-three selection:

“There will be scouts who question his shot selection, tunnel vision and 46.9 percent finish clip on layups. Unless another prospect makes an eye-opening charge, though, it still feels unlikely the team picking third overthinks an 18-year-old scorer with Bailey’s positional size, self-creation and outrageous shotmaking skill,“ Wasserman added.

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Of course, it’s still way too early in the process. With plenty of college basketball and the NBA season left to play, Bailey could still climb his way up the ladder and end up being an even higher selection.