Flagg’s Uncertainty Sets Stage For New No.1 Overall Pick
Cooper Flagg’s future is still up in the air, and it seems like there might be a new No.1 overall pick in Rutgers star Ace Bailey. The NBA Draft is only a few months away, and the end of the NCAA season is winding down. That means we’re getting to see the last of many of the best hoopers this year, especially Rutgers star duo Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.
Harper and Bailey are seen by many analysts as likely going second and third overall right after Flagg. But both prospects may have been elevated with Flagg’s recent comments about staying at Duke for another year. Ace Bailey is looking like the next number one, and some have actually gone on record saying they even prefer Bailey over Flagg at this point, regardless of draft position.
One NBA All-Star had very high praise for Bailey on his podcast. During an episode of Podcast P with Paul George, he talked about why he thinks Bailey should go higher than Flagg. Paul George states that he thinks Ace Bailey has more raw talent and a higher upside than Flagg.
I think Ace Bailey can scratch a little bit more off of his surface than Cooper Flagg can. Which I think both will be All-Stars, both will be superstars once they develop and get to the NBA. I think both will be superstars. I think those two will definitely be the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird comparison in terms of similar body types and the parity between those two. But I’m going to go with Ace Bailey.
Will Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper Go Second and Third Overall?
Both Harper and Bailey are the only members of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights that are scoring in double digits, and it’s not even close. Harper is averaging over 19 points a game, 4.5 rebounds and 4 steals a game. Bailey sits at the second highest scoring member of the team with 18.2 to go along with 7.3 rebounds and a block per game. The third highest scorer on the team averages about 7 points per game which puts in perspective the impact the two stars have had. Combined, they account for about 45% of their teams’ total points for the season.
Bailey and Harper have different skill sets, and they know exactly how to make the most of them. Bailey is a 6’10” forward that can seemingly shoot from anywhere on the floor and over anyone on the floor. Watching him is very similar to watching Kevin Durant, Brandon Ingram, or Karl Anthony Towns in the sense that they fully utilize their height to wreak havoc on opponents from deep.
A 6’10” forward that looks NBA ready could be very impactful on teams like the Jazz, Magic, New Orleans or even Charlotte but can make a difference anywhere. Players with that height and ability to shoot over anyone that would be guarding him on the perimeter makes him one of the most interesting acquisitions for whoever signs him.
Dylan Harper is a 6’6″ guard that plays very solid defense on top of being one of the best offensive weapons in the league. He has Russell Westbrook energy and potential only with a better three-point percentage. He plays a lot like Devin Booker in that he’s always looking to keep the offense moving, flowing, and buzzing. His skillset and ability to shoulder the weight put on him as the primary ball handler and scorer shows that he can handle the pressure of the next level.
Harper can score at a very high clip and in bunches, as was shown throughout the season and especially in the three games he eclipsed the 30-point mark and came close to 40 back in November when Rutgers faced Alabama.
Both had huge praise for one another during an interview with Taylor Rooks earlier this year. Harper described how watching Bailey play is like watching a “video game”, citing an insane turnaround three that had Harper’s jaw on the ground. Bailey meanwhile when asked the same question made an enthusiastic excited face, saying Bailey is always in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Bailey also heaped praise onto Harper for his relentless effort at getting second chance rebounds, and “knowing communication on defense, knowing all of it.”
Did Being Big Fish in a Small Pond Benefit Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper?
Being the one-two knockout punch of the NBA Draft has made the two national celebrities. The exposure they had going into their freshman year was already pretty substantial but has increased exponentially as the season has progressed. Not only have they lived up to the hype, but for the most part have remained consistent in their play and have positioned themselves at the very top of the draft class.
Both Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have admitted that the NIL opportunities were an appealing factor in their decisions to commit, which is a perfect example of how the new NIL landscape can be very beneficial to smaller programs. Historically, players of their caliber would head to larger schools like Kentucky, Duke, UConn, and other universities that are known for having a long tradition of being national championship contenders year after year.
However, with the current NIL settlement going through its final hearing in just over a month, more and more players like Ace Bailey could end up raking in money from NIL deals. Players like Cooper Flagg are able to maintain their success and publicity because they’re playing in huge markets on winning teams with a huge television audience. But players like Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have their own ways to stand out, by carrying an entire program through the year while maintaining top level numbers. With the right maneuvering, future phenom players can follow their lead and attend smaller programs to stand out and carve their own path.
With the draft only a few months away, the question of whether it’s best to go to a large market school or not will probably be a topic of future discussion for many players. With the new NIL settlement changing the rules on how players are able to earn money from outside sources, players don’t have to solely rely on standing out at a big school anymore. Instead, they can establish a brand with a smaller program and build their NIL stock there while maintaining their draft value.
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