Jonathan GivonyApr 23, 2025, 08:45 AM ET
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- NBA draft analyst and author
Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a non-public scouting and analytics carrier utilized by NBA, NCAA and world groups
Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey, the projected No. 3 select, will claim for the 2025 NBA draft and signal with Omar Cooper of Way of life Sports activities Company, he advised ESPN on Wednesday.
“I wish to thank everybody at Rutgers,” Bailey stated. “The group for supporting us and touring around the nation to observe us. My teammates, coaches and toughen team of workers. The donors. The energy and conditioning trainer, nutritionist, managers and in addition the protection guards, Rob and Julio, for preserving us secure. Everybody driven me to get well each day, to be the most productive model of myself. I’m grateful for the entirety they did for me. I felt a large number of love from everybody.
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“I beloved being in faculty and enjoying faculty basketball. The coed phase, the chants, the blackout video games, the wins and losses. It all.”
Bailey used to be named to the Large Ten All-Freshman Workforce and used to be third-team All-Large Ten after averaging 17.6 issues, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks according to sport. He enters the draft after pairing with freshman guard Dylan Harper, the projected No. 2 select, to steer a Scarlet Knights workforce that did not have a lot ability past the famous person duo and completed 15-17.
“I did just right,” Bailey stated. “I may have accomplished manner higher, however I matured this season. The sport bogged down for me. My IQ were given upper. I were given quicker and manner more potent. My ballhandling and capturing tightened up. Rutgers had me guarding everybody from level guards to energy forwards. I realized so much.”
At 6-foot-10, Bailey boasts outstanding shotmaking prowess. He hit 47 3-pointers in 30 video games and erupted 3 times for 30-plus issues in Large Ten play. He is likely one of the youngest possibilities on this draft, now not turning 19 till August, and brings insatiable aggressiveness and high-level depth defensively to counterpoint his remarkable scoring instincts.
“I am nowhere with reference to attaining my attainable,” Bailey stated. “I am nonetheless younger, nonetheless finding out, however I am operating each day. My playmaking is making improvements to. NBA groups gets an vigorous participant able to speak, lead and put folks in the best positions. I will be able to take a just right workforce to a greater point.”
Bailey is lately in Atlanta, making ready for the predraft procedure. He stated he watches NBA video games nightly and research Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carefully.
The NBA draft mix might be held Might 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft might be June 25-26 in New York.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft skilled and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a non-public scouting and analytics carrier utilized by NBA, NCAA and world groups.
