With the NBA playoffs underway, draft season is right around the corner. Rutgers star Ace Bailey announced on Wednesday that he is entering his name into the 2025 draft. His decision comes after Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, the projected top two picks, recently declared.

Many considered Bailey a threat to Flagg for the No. 1 pick at this time last year. However, the No. 2-ranked high school prospect had a polarizing season at Rutgers, with concerns about his tough shot diet, ball-handling and playmaking raising questions about his ceiling. Still, his ridiculous shotmaking ability and athleticism at 6-foot-10 have him at the top of NBA draft boards behind Flagg and Harper.

Here's where Bailey has fallen in the latest mock drafts.

  • ESPN: 3
  • Yahoo Sports: 3
  • Bleacher Report: 4
  • Sports Illustrated: 3
  • CBS Sports: 4

Most mock drafts have Bailey and Baylor's VJ Edgecombe projected as the third and fourth picks, but there is little consensus about which will be selected first.

Does Rutgers' Ace Bailey have NBA star potential?

Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) is introduced before the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While NBA scouts have highlighted the less polished aspects of Bailey's game, he produced during his lone college season. The 18-year-old averaged 17.6 points on 46/35/69 shooting splits with 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

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“I did good,” Bailey told ESPN. “I could have done way better, but I matured this season. The game slowed down for me. My IQ got higher. I got faster and way stronger. My ballhandling and shooting tightened up. Rutgers had me guarding everyone from point guards to power forwards. I learned a lot.

“I'm nowhere close to reaching my potential. I'm still young, still learning, but I'm working every day. My playmaking is improving. NBA teams will get an energetic player ready to talk, lead and put people in the right positions. I can take a good team to a better level.”

Bailey's size and shotmaking, coupled with his lack of ball-handling and playmaking, have drawn comparisons to Michael Porter Jr. and Rudy Gay. However, the Tennessee native has his sights set higher.

“I got a few [NBA players I model my game after]. Kevin Durant, Paul George and Jayson Tatum. And I'll say Tracy McGrady, too,” Bailey told ClutchPoints in November. “They can create shots. They put their teammates in situations that they know they can succeed in. And they can step up and be leaders.”

Bailey's most likely landing spots are the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets or New Orleans Pelicans, who own the top-four spots in May's draft lottery odds, respectively. Behind them are the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs in spots 5-8.