Rutgers Basketball’s Two Top Prospects… Who Goes First?

By Griffin Floyd

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights possess a pair of expected top five picks in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, with true freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey both anticipated to be “one-and-done” in Jersey. Bailey, a versatile 6-foot-10 wing with a lethal three-point shot, committed to Rutgers first and immediately got to work recruiting Harper, a 6-foot-6 lefty point guard who’s one of the best athletes in the class, to join him.

The young stars find themselves in a unique situation: the last school to see two players drafted in the top five in the same class was Duke back in 2019. While they seem joined at the hip both on and off the court, the inevitable comparisons as draft fever begins to set in adds another level of intrigue for the fascinating young duo. Here’s a look at what they each bring to the court and who could end up coming off the board first in June’s draft.

The Case for Ace

While Dylan Harper began this draft cycle as the consensus No. 2 pick behind Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey’s combination of size and versatility has him sneaking past his teammate in many draft projections. Versatility is the name of the game in this era of positionless basketball, and Bailey can defend the 1 through the 4 and move in a way that 6-foot-10 human beings simply shouldn’t be able to.

The problem is he knows it, and he can make mistakes when trying to do too much instead of taking the easy play, a habit he can get away with in college but will need to break in the league. Bailey’s shooting (namely a 68.9 percent success rate on free throws) could use some polish, although a 38.5 percent clip from three is excellent for a player of his size. He’s averaging 20.9 points per game, good for the No. 13 spot in the NCAA, but is prone to off nights, including 3-of-15, 4-of-17 and 3-of-16 performances against Michigan, MSU and Wisconsin, respectively.

He’s a project—every 18 year old is—but his upside could encourage NBA teams to roll the dice on a potential superstar in the making.

The Case for Dylan Harper

Harper, meanwhile, clocks in just behind Bailey with an average of 19.1 points per game, adding 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals. As a natural lefty, Harper possesses an extra degree of unpredictability in shot selection and dribbling, and at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds he has the size and power to drive inside.

Much like Bailey, he tries to do too much at times, especially when dribbling. With that said, he often leads with his right hand—perhaps trying to become more well-rounded and really take his handles to the next level in doing so—which could explain some of those miscues. Harper takes roughly 37 percent of his shots from three and converts at a 35.1 percent clip, so there are some questions about his jump shot, but his high motor and defensive ability give him more wiggle room on that front than a shooting-focused one trick pony.

If scouts put stock in intangibles, Dylan Harper’s dad Ron played 15 years in the NBA and won five championships between the Bulls and Lakers, providing a learning resource like few others as he grew up around the game. Harper’s brother, Ron Jr., currently plays for the Pistons, spending time between the NBA and the G-League.

What’s the Verdict?

Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper possess both star potential and the room for improvement inherent to one-and-done prospects. When gauging who should come off the board first, it’s difficult to look past Bailey’s potential ceiling as a face of the franchise superstar.

With that said, Harper is the safer pick… and don’t take that as a knock on Bailey. When discussing lottery picks, it’s important to keep in mind that the teams they’re going to are often in the bottom of the league for a reason. Realizing superstar potential amidst the strain of carrying a rebuilding (or worse, dysfunctional) team can provide an added challenge that players developing amidst a stable organization don’t have to deal with. Deciding between Bailey and Harper will likely come down to a given front office’s preference: roll the dice or take the higher floor?