Why Is Ace Bailey a High Risk, High-Reward Gem of a Prospect for 2025 NBA Draft?

Ace Bailey, a 6’10” wing with a rare blend of size, athleticism, and shot-making that makes him one of the most tantalizing prospects coming into the 2025 NBA Draft. His game is particularly built on eye-popping scoring ability, particularly his knack for draining contested jumpers from anywhere on the floor. Whether it’s dribble pull-ups, step-back jumpers, fadeaway jumpers, you name it. He’s a three-level scorer with smooth mechanics and a high release point, capable of rising over defenders and knocking tough contested shots with ease.

At Rutgers, he averaged 17.6 points, 1.3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game, showcasing his ability to take over games with scoring outbursts against nation’s top competition. Defensively, Bailey is equally impressive as his length and lateral quickness allow him to guard multiple positions, disrupt passing lanes, and contest shots. While he is a polarizing prospect, out article is titled “High-Risk, high-reward,” and down below are the reasons why.

Also Read: Aaron Gordon Injury Update: Shams Charania Shares Upsetting Updates for Nuggets Fanbase

Why is Ace Bailey a High-Risk, High-Reward Prospect?

While Ace Bailey has looked incredible, there is no basketball player on the planet that doesn’t have flaws, and Bailey has a number of flaws he needs to rectify to fulfill his potential as an NBA player.

Bailey, first off, is not as tall as everyone may have thought he is. When he was measured at the scouting combine, without shoes Bailey is listed as a 6-7.5. While that isn’t bad by any means, it is a disappointment as he was listed at 6’10” previously. Another thing that raises concerns is, Bailey had very little team success at Rutgers, and even though the program had top of the potential top-three picks from the 2025 NBA draft class, they went 15-17 overall and missed out the NCAA Tournament entirely. While a program with a top-10 pick, missing out on the NCAA Tournament isn’t an anomaly, Rutgers had two potential top-10 picks with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, and falling below .500 in terms of winning record raises a lot of concerns.

Bailey Has the Highest Ceiling Amongst Any Player From the 2025 NBA Draft Class

While Bailey lacked team success, he has arguably the highest ceiling amongst his peers. He is often compared to NBA‘s Kevin Durant, who is known to be the best scorer of this generation. Similarly, Bailey loves taking mid-range shots, which is a lost art in today’s game especially amongst the younger crowd. According to Per Synergy, Bailey’s 62.5% of his field goal attempts came from the mid-range shots. His shot diet, also included a lot of contested jumpers, as he made 39 of 81 of those attempts, giving him a make percentage of 48.1%. This is quite similar to what Kevin Durant does on the basketball court, as he is know to make and take a lot of mid-range jumpers, whether it’s contested or wide open.

Paul George called Bailey a Future NBA Star

Philadelphia 76ers’ guard/forward, Paul George, called Ace Bailey a future NBA star. George said, “He can score from any part of the floor. He had an isolation game, which you don’t see that often in kids that size, that early. He can make plays, he can shoot over top of defenses, he can take advantage of mismatches, he can handle the ball in pick and rolls. He can catch-and-shoot, he can defend, I’ve seen him play elite defense on chase down blocks, running guys off threes. Defending, keeping guys in front of him. I think he just had tremendous talent. If there was no Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey would have been an even bigger name that people would have been talking about in this draft.”

“I love his upside man, I’ve been a fan of his game for a little while now. I think he’s gonna be huge in the league. He’s definitely gonna come in the league and people will think it might take him a minute based off of his skill set. But I think he’s gonna come into the league and make noise right away.”

While Cooper Flagg is most definitely going to get drafted as the No.1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, Ace Bailey is in a league of his own. Just off of his scoring talent along, Bailey should be a top-5 pick in the NBA Draft. Many mock draft have Bailey as the third overall pick in the NBA draft, and that pick belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to multiple sources, 76ers are reportedly looking to shop the 3rd overall pick, and one of the biggest names that could try to get the pick from the Sixers is the Utah Jazz. If Bailey lands at Utah, that would be a perfect scenario for the rookie, as the Jazz are trying to find a franchise player who they can build around, after their previous franchise star, Donovan Mitchell, left the team to go play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Also Read: Lakers Target Jakob Poeltl as Raptors Grapple with Center Crisis Amid Trade Buzz