Vecenie projects Bailey as a top-five pick due to his pure talent. “Some see real star upside, while some see a good, Michael Porter Jr.-like role player, and yet others worry significantly about his decision-making. The pre-draft process will be incredibly important,” Vecenie wrote.

Rutgers star Ace Bailey shared multiple posts on his Instagram page Thursday with photos of himself with the word “Declared” in big bold letters, and according to an ESPN report, that’s exactly what the freshman guard did, declaring himself for the 2025 NBA Draft.