NBA Draft

NBA Draft: Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper Shine In Exhibition Loss To St. John's

Combining for 45 points in their 91-85 loss to St. John's, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper showed what makes them such highly valued prospects

Jace Derryberry

Oct 17, 2024; Piscataway, NJ, USA;Rutgers Scarlet Knights guards Airious Bailey (4) and Dylan Harper (2) get ready to grab a rebound in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2024; Piscataway, NJ, USA;Rutgers Scarlet Knights guards Airious Bailey (4) and Dylan Harper (2) get ready to grab a rebound in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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In Thursday’s exhibition, Rutgers fell to St. John’s 91-85 but had great showings from their two standout freshmen, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. These two players enter the season as assumed top-five picks, which is rare territory for Rutgers. They handled the majority of their team's scoring but each showed that their game is more than just putting the ball in the basket. This article will break down Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper’s debut with the Scarlet Knights and the flashes they showed that earned them the right to enter the season as top-tier prospects.

Ace Bailey broke onto the scene by dropping 25 points on 8-of-18 shooting and looks like he could live up to the hype. He excels while playing off-ball and regularly found open spots where his teammates could get him the ball. Some have questioned his decision-making and felt he forced too many shots, but the first look at his play for Rutgers looked smooth and like an easy fit. His patented pull-up jumper from the high post still looks unaffected by defenders. He did attempt a few tough three-pointers but was still able to hit one over tight defense on his way to 4-of-9 shooting from deep. For a player of his size, standing at 6-foot-10, Bailey also showcased his impressive handle and fluid movements while attacking the basket.

Another aspect of Bailey’s game that stood out in the exhibition was his defensive impact. Finishing the night with five steals and a block suggested that he may have much more two-way versatility than he has been credited for leading into his freshman year. It still seems like he will need to continue adding weight and strength in order to become more effective around the rim, but his feel for the game and level of activity was extremely impressive in this first look.

His running mate, Dylan Harper, also had a very solid start to his collegiate career, scoring 20 points on 50% shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from deep. Harper is a versatile guard due to his size at 6-foot-6 and 215 lbs, which he uses to overwhelm smaller guards along the perimeter. Harper was dangerous in the mid-range and had several instances of driving hard, stopping on a dime and bumping his defender out of the way before knocking down jumpers with ease. His handle looked very promising, and as he gains comfort at this new level of competition, he should continue making strides as their lead guard. The shooting mechanics on his jumper looked flawless and did not seem to change regardless of where on the floor he was shooting from.

Harper finished the night with only two assists, but he seemed in control of Rutgers’ offense throughout the game. This aspect of his performance especially stood out when he faced double teams. He was patient and waited for his teammates to get into space before hitting them with passes. Harper’s footwork in these situations also caught attention as he was able to get defenders off him by changing his angles and stepping through the defenders' pressure. His overall feel for the game makes it look easy at times and should solidify him as a top-five pick quickly into the season if he can carry this effectiveness into the year.

Even though St. John’s was able to come away with the win, these two freshmen showed what makes them such special players. Combining for 45 points in their first real opportunity is no small feat and should have NBA teams very excited, regardless of this game just being an exhibition. It is a long season and a very deep draft class, but games like this will greatly impact their draft stocks if they can continue performing throughout the season.

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Jace Derryberry
JACE DERRYBERRY

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