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6 hours ago
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Wednesday's NBA Draft doesn't have your typical intrigue at the top of the board.
Duke sensation Cooper Flagg has been projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for several years, and it was a foregone conclusion he would become a Dallas Maverick the second they won the lottery.
At No. 2, the San Antonio Spurs have been so locked in to Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper that they've largely passed on the traditional private workouts with other top prospects.
So, much of the focus has been centered on Rutgers guard Ace Bailey.
And not always to his benefit.
Bailey has drawn headlines - and some (perhaps unfair) criticism - for officially measuring 2 1/2 inches shorter than his roster-listed height (6-foot-7 1/2, not 6-foot-10) and for scheduling and canceling a workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, who own the No. 3 overall pick.
But he's also an immense talent with unique upside.
Because of the combination of perceived red flags and all-star potential as a primary scorer, ESPN's Brian Windhorst called Bailey "the most dangerous player in the draft" via his podcast, "The Hoop Collective."
That moniker, however, is nowhere near bad as it sounds.
"I've called him... every year or maybe one or two (a year)... there's a dangerous player in the draft," Windhorst said. "They are dangerous - not because drafting them is bad - they are dangerous just because if you pass on them you could have egg all over your face."
Windhorst compared Bailey's situation - not his player profile - to that of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, who was passed on by four teams, including then-Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac, whose decision defined his front office career.
But there's a flip side to the coin when it comes to Bailey, Windhorst explained.
"Here's a guy who has got some red marks on the sheet. You take him, he ends up being a bust, that's bad. You pass on him and he goes to Brooklyn and wins rookie of the year and averages 27 points his rookie year, the team that passed on him looks bad."
"That's why I think he's the most dangerous prospect in the draft, not that that's a bad thing," Windhorst concluded. "It sort of goes both way."
Coming out of McEachern (Georgia) in the class of 2024, Bailey as the nation's No. 2 overall prospect.
He and Harper joined forced and committed to Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights failed to even make the NCAA tournament.
During his freshman campaign, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from three-point range.
Those numbers speak to his potential to fill up a stat sheet, but his draft process has been calculated, which has been the subject of criticism by NBA media.
Whether he becomes a superstar or fades into the background, Bailey is going to be one of the most intriguing prospects to watch in the entire 2025 NBA Draft class.
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