Ace Bailey is one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. His excellent scoring records and defensive skills, which have led to comparisons to basketball greats, are among his many qualities as a basketball player.
Discover Ace Bailey’s NBA Idols
However, it is only now that it has become known how the player sees himself. During an interview with HoopsHype podcast host Michael Schotto, Bailey revealed the names of the players he personally compares himself to:
Ace Bailey on player comparisons: “Big 3. KD (Kevin Durant), Paul George and Jayson Tatum. George and Tatum, their creation for them to get their shot off is unbelievable. I see myself doing the same thing. KD in the mid post with one, two dribbles, or less is straight buckets.” pic.twitter.com/WPnzKWJ9oG
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 14, 2025
ESPN predicts that Bailey will be selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which would put him with the Philadelphia 76ers, who will be selecting in that position. Such a high spot among all the prospects included in the draft is no coincidence, considering the qualities he has shown so far.
RCentral compares Bailey to Kevin Durant, Paul George (who could be his teammate in Philadelphia,) and Brandon Miller. NBADraft.net also sees similarities to George and Miller.
NBADraft.net’s scouting report highlights both his size and versatility:
“Bailey is a thin 6’10 wing/forward prospect with outstanding dimensions and physical tools that will allow him to play up to four positions on the court…His length is certainly decent and only adds to his tantalizing physical profile…A coordinated player with long striding yet twitchy athleticism, and he is able to cover massive ground on the court as well as show good leaping skills and foot speed for his size in the open floor.”
His performance in his season at Rutgers speaks for itself. Bailey played in 30 games, all as a starter, and averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. 153 of his 215 rebounds were in defense, which, coupled with his 38 blocks and 30 steals, illustrates his work on the defensive end.
KEEP READING: Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper: Who is Favored To Go No. 2 in the 2025 NBA Draft?
His shooting percentages were more than decent. He shot 46% on two-pointers, 34.6% on three-pointers, and 69.2% on free throws.
Perhaps his best attribute, however, is his obvious room for improvement, which undoubtedly puts him on the right path to emulating his NBA idols.
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