What will Rutgers Look Like with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper?

The two phenoms teamed up to play for Steve Pikiell's Scarlet Knights. How will the two play together?

McEachern's Airious Bailey after hitting a three-pointer on the Edmond North Huskies in the third place game of the 39th Annual Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions at Great Southern Bank Arena on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. / Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rutgers is a team loaded with freshman talent entering the 2024-25 season after landing two of the top three recruits in the country. Combo forward Airious "Ace" Bailey and combo guard Dylan Harper are the two crowned jewels of the Scarlet Knights' class, both of whom have top-five buzz in an elite crop when looking ahead at the 2025 NBA Draft.

Bailey is a prospect that can slot into both the wing and forward spots, a truly versatile player with positional size when playing wing and top-notch athleticism for both positions. He has elite self-creation off of the dribble, shot-making ability, and slashing upside that make him a unique prospect, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. His physical tools lend credence to the idea that he can be an elite defender, and at 6-foot-8, 185 pounds, he has wiry strength and explosive leaping ability that put him towards the top of the 2025 class.

His teammate Harper is a combo guard that has comfortability both on and off the ball. A wrecking ball at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, he has fantastic basketball IQ on the offensive end, where he is a wizard in the pick-and-roll and plays with great pace. He probes through the defense a bit like Orlando's Anthony Black, but also has the ability to get downhill off of screens and attack the basket.

The duo has a few things in common that will help them play off of each other, especially in transition, where both shine. Bailey and Harper both average above 1.24 points per shot in such possessions, which makes them a fearsome combination on the break. Given Pikiell's proclivity for playing rip-and-run basketball (69th percentile in transition possessions according to Synergy Sports), it seems that both will be able to take advantage of this play style and create some highlight-reel plays in these scenarios.

Another area in which both excel is their ability to create for themselves off of the bounce – Bailey is almost good to a fault in that he will put himself in difficult situations, sometimes forcing bad shots from distance. Harper will help remedy this with his creation using an elite handle and great pace – he is difficult to rush into bad decisions, often making the right read in most actions. It's likely Bailey could be a screener for Harper in certain sets as well, which would help to eliminate some of the long twos for which Bailey sometimes settles.

Bailey's prowess as a cutter will also come into play here, allowing for lob opportunities between the two freshman stars. Harper's midrange scoring skill makes it difficult for opposing centers to simply play drop, but should the center come up on the ball handler, there will be easy passes for Harper to Bailey at the rim.

Overall, the two players have complimentary skillsets. Whether or not it translates to wins is yet to be seen, as the Big 10 is no easy conference when it comes to freshman players. Still, these two are no ordinary first-year players, and the Scarlet Knights may surprise some people this season.

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