The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will be one of the must-watch teams in March Madness, as they have two future NBA stars in PG/SG Dylan Harper and SF Ace Bailey.
The first is projected to be the second-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, while the latter might go with the next selection. As such, they will need to deliver on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Even if that’s not the case, they’ve already shown more than enough to be granted a high selection. With that in mind, Jeremy Woo of ESPN predicted the Utah Jazz will go after Bailey with the third pick.
Ace Bailey could be the Utah Jazz’s savior
“Utah didn’t make any major deals at the deadline, instead holding on to its veteran players and maintaining its status quo of angling for draft position,” wrote Woo. “At some point, the Jazz will have to make strides, but the star power in this draft and atop the 2026 class likely has Utah set to wait things out. Bailey’s youth and shotmaking would give the Jazz a potential offensive centerpiece. He would benefit from landing on a team with an extreme long-view approach.”
ce Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Jazz already have a three-level scorer in Lauri Markkanen, and they could have a jumbo frontcourt with him and Bailey playing side by side and Walker Kessler anchoring the paint.
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Of course, they need to make sure to keep losing in the final stretch of the season, as every single win might drive them away from their future franchise player.
