The NBA Draft is all set to happen later this week on Wednesday night and the mock drafts are out in full force ahead of what is expected to be an exciting day, especially for Rutgers Basketball fans as both Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are projected top picks.
When both Harper and Bailey get selected, one of them will become the first Scarlet Knight to be taken in the NBA Draft since 2010 when Hamady N'diaye was picked in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 56th overall pick. Along with that, the duo of Harper and Bailey will likely mark the first time that Rutgers Basketball had two players selected in the same draft since John Battle and Chris Remly were selected in the 1985 NBA Draft.
With all that being said, here’s a look at where Bailey and Harper are projected to land in the latest NBA Mock Drafts.
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CBS Sports — Kyle Boone
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What Boone wrote: “It's possible San Antonio uses this pick as trade bait, but also possible: San Antonio sticks at No. 2 and picks the clear No. 2 prospect in the class despite potential fit questions around Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox. Increasingly, this seems like a situation where you select the best talent and figure out fit later.”
Bailey Projection: No. 3 overall (first round), Philadelphia 76ers
What Boone wrote: “I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Philly considers other players here such as VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson or Kon Knueppel. But most view the draft dropping off in talent *after* Bailey -- even if his prospect profile is a bit more volatile than others. He's a big wing and talented shot-maker with tremendous size and athleticism."
For The Win — Bryan Kalbrosky
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What Kalbrosky wrote: “While the Spurs could have plenty of suitors if they wanted to shop this pick, it isn’t worth it to make a move unless it could land them Giannis Antetokounmpo, and such a trade is seeming more and more unlikely. Instead, they could get someone with legitimate star potential to pair with Victor Wembanyama.”
Bailey Projection: No. 8 overall (first round), Brooklyn Nets
What Kalbrosky wrote: “There is a lot to unpack about why Ace Bailey’s draft stock is apparently plummeting lately, especially after he measured a bit shorter than expected at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
While this is much lower than where he was projected in our latest consensus rankings at No. 3 overall earlier this month, fans shouldn’t expect him to fall much lower than this. It’s possible that Bailey’s representation wants him to land in a big market where he can get a lot of playing time, and the Nets would provide exactly that."
ESPN — Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What Givony wrote: “Most talent evaluators consider Harper to be in a tier of his own as the draft's clear-cut second-best prospect, overriding potential concerns the Spurs might have about his imperfect backcourt fit with De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, due to a distinct lack of perimeter shooting.
Rival teams attempting to engage in trade talks with the Spurs have come away with the impression it's unlikely they move down or off the pick at No. 2; it seems San Antonio is excited about the possibility of adding a talent of Harper's caliber and is willing to be patient, figuring out roster construction concerns later.
The 19-year-old's combination of size, shot-creating prowess, passing creativity, finishing skill and scoring instincts makes him the type of lead guard, offensive engine that is coveted in today's NBA, as his strong frame appears well-suited for playing through the physically demanding vigor required in the playoffs. The challenge of acquiring these types of players makes it difficult to envision the Spurs passing on the opportunity to add Harper ultimately. -- Givony"
Bailey Projection: No. 6 overall (first round), Washington Wizards
What Givony wrote: “Bailey's predraft workout strategy has perplexed some observers, as he has yet to conduct a single known workout to date, having declined invitations from several teams within his draft range. Sources say Bailey's camp has informed interested teams that they believe he is a top-3 player in the draft, but also seeks a clear pathway to stardom, perhaps feeling comfortable that a team will trade up to get him at Nos. 3 or 4, should he drop.
Some teams question whether Bailey has received assurances of being selected by a team currently outside the top five, to a situation deemed more advantageous from a geographic and playing time perspective.
Bailey is scheduled to conduct a workout with the 76ers later this week, but it's unclear if he plans to visit any other teams at this stage. Should the Sixers pass on him, he could very well slide to the No. 6 or No. 7 picks, two teams in Washington and New Orleans that are said to be highly intrigued with the 18-year-old's talent. And both are situations in which there appear to be plenty of minutes and shots to be had. -- Givony"
SB Nation — Ricky O’Donnell
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What O’Donnell wrote: “Harper emerged as the front-runner for the No. 2 overall player in this class early in his freshman season, and maintained that status despite Rutgers finishing under .500 with two projected top-five picks. Harper’s combination of downhill scoring, pull-up shooting potential, and live dribble passing as a sturdy 6’6 guard offers an archetype every NBA team covets. Harper has a special ability to split double-teams and get to the rim as a driver. He converted 70 percent of his rim opportunities even without the nuclear athleticism of guards like John Wall and Russell Westbrook. He scans as more of a scorer than a playmaker at first blush, but he’s still a willing passer who was let down by his teammates on plenty of potential assists. The nice thing about Harper is that he can play either backcourt spot on both ends of the floor, showing an impressive ability to pressure the ball defensively with the size to give smaller guards problems. His shooting will be his swing skill after making only 33.3 percent of his threes and 75 percent of his free throws. If he shoots it well in the league, he’s going to be a highly valuable as a big guard who create for himself and others and play on or off the ball.”
Bailey Projection: No. 5 overall (first round), Utah Jazz
What O’Donnell wrote: “Bailey slid to No. 9 in my “what I would do” mock draft last week, so I can’t say I’m too surprised by the idea that he could fall. Still, I pegged Bailey at No. 5 in this mock draft because that feels like the spot where teams could try to trade up. Even if the Jazz don’t pull the trigger, the three teams behind them — the Wizards, Pelicans, and Nets — could all trade up to land Bailey before his slide really begins. Bailey’s range feels like it’s 5-8 right now. Once he gets taken, the real work on his game and his mentality begins."
The Ringer — J. Kyle Mann
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What Mann wrote: “The trade machine can be inebriating. Spend a few minutes playing fantasy GM and you can wind up in a different reality. So while it’s easy to envision the Spurs and Bucks executing a big deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo, I don’t think they will—especially with the latest reports suggesting that the former MVP won’t be available. Take a look at these playoffs: Players who live in the paint are thriving—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards. Harper may not be a future MVP like Gilgeous-Alexander, but his paint mastery, along with his size, defensive upside, and live-dribble skill set, could round out what the Spurs have now while he aims to grow into an All-Star and/or All-NBA player. Also, don’t get caught up in worries about fit. The only fit that matters is alongside Victor Wembanyama, which he does..”
Bailey Projection: No. 4 overall (first round), Charlotte Hornets
What Mann wrote: “Bailey’s ability to mesh with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller is something I’ve gone back and forth on for the past several weeks. On the one hand, Ace would rack up a ridiculous amount of easy points off Ball and Miller’s passing if he buys into the idea of moving without the ball. It sounds ridiculously fun. On the other hand, the other two spots would have to be filled with plus (and likely elite-tier) defenders at the point of attack and the rim. But that’s not an immediate concern: The Hornets are mostly directionless and just need talent, so this is a draft-first, ask-questions-later decision. For a team that really needed to win this lottery, landing Bailey at no. 4 would be a coup."
Yahoo! Sports — Kevin O’Connor
Harper Projection: No. 2 overall (first round), San Antonio Spurs
What O’Connor wrote: “In all likelihood, the Spurs will keep this pick and draft Harper, but league sources say they are listening to trade offers from teams drafting in the handful of spots behind them. “They want a ridiculous haul,” said a front office executive. “Far more than I’d expect anyone to give up.” Harper is a big-bodied lefty combo guard who has a high floor with the skill, poise and playmaking instincts to dictate the game at his pace. If Flagg had never reclassified, Harper would be the consensus top pick with star upside. But he made only 36.8% of his catch-and-shoot 3s and just 28.7% of his dribble jumpers. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle are more interior-focused guards, too, and so is Jeremy Sochan in the frontcourt. How many shaky shooters can the Spurs really put around Victor Wembanyama? That’s the whole reason why San Antonio would even listen to offers. But thus far they haven’t engaged in anything serious, leaving suitors thinking they’ll just take Harper, bank on his massive upside, and figure out team fit later.."
Bailey Projection: No. 7 overall (first round), New Orleans Pelicans via trade
What O’Connor wrote: “On one hand, it seems outrageous that a player with Bailey’s scoring talent could drop this far. Bailey is a ridiculous shot-making machine, capable of splashing contested jumpers from every spot on the floor and with the swagger of a throwback bucket-getter. And he wants to be a star too, so the vision is there. But on the other hand, it’s hard to have watched these playoffs and believe Bailey is anywhere close to seeing his style translate. Bailey’s raw edges as a shot creator and defender need major sanding down to turn him into a full-on star."
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