What would NBA scouts look for in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper? Draft analyst lists down points for Rutgers duo
Scarlet Knights Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are two of the most exciting freshmen in college basketball. What makes their story even more interesting is their partnership at Rutgers as the No. 2- and No. 4-ranked national prospects, according to ESPN.
In an appearance on "NBA Today," draft analyst Jonathon Givony suggested that Ace Bailey's road to the NBA will hinge on his shot creation and selection and game tempo control, starting with Rutgers' game on Thursday against Wagner.
"This is not going to be the most challenging game that they play this year but it's a good opportunity for us to see if the game is slowing down for Ace Bailey," Givony said (2:51 mark of the video below).
"What kind of shots he's able to generate for himself and others — we know Ace Bailey is an incredible athlete who can make impossible shots and that he plays super hard, but NBA scouts want to see, can he simplify the game for himself? Can he make good decisions with the ball in his hands?"
While NBA scouts already like Dylan Harper's sense for the game and defensive motor, the draft analyst believes having a solid shooting touch and improved ability to finish in traffic can determine his rank on the draft board.
"Now for Dylan Harper, NBA scouts love his feel for the game. They love the way he competes defensively, and they love his size at the point guard position."
"But as the year moves on we want to learn more about how good of a shooter he is, how good of a finisher he is in traffic, and how he balances being aggressive looking to score while making his teammates better at the same time, which we know he can do." (02:44)
Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have changed fans' outlook on Rutgers basketball
Since Steve Pikiell joined Rutgers in 2016, the program has gradually become a renowned threat in the Big Ten conference. Now, with Bailey and Harper on the roster, expectations and excitement surrounding Rutgers have skyrocketed.
A sign of the rising enthusiasm came with last month's preseason poll, where Rutgers was ranked 25th. Though they placed lowest on the list, it marked only the second time the program has made it in the past 45 years.
The excitement surrounding Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper was also evident when 4,000 fans attended Rutgers exhibition game against St. John’s, with nearly 20 NBA scouts present to watch the action.