Ace Bailey is gearing up for his next step when he joins the NBA via the 2025 NBA Draft. Bailey was one of 75 players invited to the 2025 NBA Combine, which means he is certainly very high on many teams’ radar. Bailey is set to potentially make an immediate impact with whoever he winds up playing for come the kickoff of the 2025 basketball season.
For Bailey, family means everything. That was very apparent once again this week when his sister, Airiel Bailey, celebrated her graduation. The talented forward took a moment to celebrate the special milestone back at home.
Ace Bailey Drops Sweet 3-Word Message to His Sister As She Celebrated Her Graduation
Ace Bailey posted a photo on his Instagram story showing love and praise for his little sister as she celebrated her graduation. “Congratulations lil sis,” Bailey wrote in the inscribed caption on the post.
Despite the busy schedule and pressure of the draft process, the forward found time to show his little sister some love.
Bailey, who played only one college basketball season, turned many heads in his single season. The forward came in with very big expectations and, for the most part, excelled in just about every one of them. Despite Rutgers finishing with a lackluster 15-17 record, Bailey shined all season long.
Bailey led the team in rebounds with 7.2, steals with 1.4, and was behind only Dylan Harper in scoring with 17.6 points per game. As the basketball season came to an end, he wasted very little time taking a chance by declaring himself for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Bailey called it the “natural next step” before thanking his coaches and teammates in a social media post.
Bailey showed scouts how much self-confidence he possesses during ESPN’s draft combine broadcast on Friday. The forward was asked about two strengths and one weakness in his game, and his response was that of a player with a very strong, perhaps even an elite, mentality.
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“Ain’t got no weaknesses and I got more than two strengths, big dog,” Bailey responded. While some may have saw this response as cocky or arrogant, others saw it as a player who’s ready to take the next step and has the confidence to do just that.
Bailey is a projected top-3 pick. He falls just behind his now former teammate in Dylan Harper, who’s projected to go at No. 2. The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to be held on June 25 and June 26 at the Barclays Center, the home of the Brooklyn Nets, in Brooklyn, New York.
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