ONE OF the best players in the 2025 NBA Draft Crop, Ace Bailey has firmed as a top-five selection in June and is one of the brightest wing prospects of the past few years.

Standing six-foot-10, Bailey has the tools to play four positions, and has explosive traits that certainly benefit him on both ends of the floor. His archetype is cause for extreme excitement, and the Rutgers prospect has an extremely high ceiling as it stands.

With Rutgers missing the NCAA National Tournament, both Bailey and Dylan Harper did not get the opportunity to deliver big time performances under lights in March Madness. However, the forward already had plenty of runs on the board and has already generated plenty of excitement ahead of the draft.

On the season, Bailey posted numbers of 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game on 46 per cent shooting from the field. Impressive numbers without a doubt, and an indicator of how solid his foundation is as a player. One area he will be looking to improve is his free throw shooting, having made just 69 per cent of his shots from the charity stripe.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Bailey’s first match setting the bar quite high in terms of overall career and standing within the game.

Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns

This may be asking quite a bit of Bailey, but the similarities are too hard to ignore. In terms of size, scoring ability and the way he uses his physical attributes to get the better of his opponent, the two players are very similar. Although Durant was a better prospect coming into the NBA, Bailey still has a remarkable amount of upside.

The now 17-year NBA veteran may be slightly taller, but both use their taller frame to be unguardable at times. Bailey even earned praise from Durant himself when he dropped 37 points on 65 per cent shooting earlier in the season, with the latter well-renowned for his ability to score at a high clip.

Throughout his career, Durant has won two championships, two finals MVP awards and the regular season MVP award, and is renowned as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, so it makes sense for Bailey to model his game around a player of that stature.

Paul George – Philadelphia 76ers

Another player who has forged a strong NBA career, the similarities are slightly different here but just as present. George has been renowned as one of the best two-way wings in the NBA, and was top-three in MVP voting for his efforts in the 2018/19 season.

Bailey reflects a later version of George, who now has a tighter handle and has an ability to score at all three levels. George even recently stated he prefers Bailey to the expected number one pick in Cooper Flagg, which is big wraps from one of the most outspoken players in the NBA. Bailey also has a bit of height on the six-foot-nine George, so the upside is certainly grand.

Brandon Miller – Charlotte Hornets

Although it is hard to tell how Miller’s career will finish up, the young wing has already forged a strong start as a key member of the Hornets. Now Charlotte’s centrepiece heading into the future, Miller has shown a natural ability to score that has resulted in several 30-plus point performances in his Sophomore season.

Although he took some time to find his feet as a scorer at the top level, he eventually became a dangerous offensive prospect on a nightly basis, a trait that Bailey will be hoping to share. Both players move extremely smooth with ball in hand and loom as future stars of the competition. It seems likely they will engage in some excellent offensive battles for years to come, which will undoubtedly prove to be must-watch basketball.