As Ace Bailey worked on getting to this point, the Rutgers basketball star studied Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George. Soon, the rookie could become a teammate of George’s in Philly.
Earlier this week, the Sixers were hopeful of keeping their 2025 first-round pick, which would’ve been sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it fell out of the top six. Not only did the Sixers avoid losing the protected pick, but they jump up some spots.
When the No. 3 pick goes on the clock next month, the Sixers will have an opportunity to select one of the top prospects in the NBA Draft. That prospect just might be Ace Bailey, who claims to model his game after George and two other notable NBA stars.
Ace Bailey on player comparisons: “Big 3. KD (Kevin Durant), Paul George and Jayson Tatum. George and Tatum, their creation for them to get their shot off is unbelievable. I see myself doing the same thing. KD in the mid post with one, two dribbles, or less is straight buckets.” pic.twitter.com/WPnzKWJ9oG
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 14, 2025
“KD, Paul George, and Jayson Tatum.” Bailey told reporters
“Paul George and Jayson Tatum, their creation for them to get their shot off is unbelievable. I see myself doing the same thing. [Kevin Durant] in the mid-post with one, two dribbles, or less is straight buckets.”
Throughout the pre-draft process, many publications have compared to Bailey to Durant. While that comp adds major pressure to the Rutgers star, Bailey has embraced it since his style is modeled after the Phoenix Suns superstar.
One season at Rutgers included 30 appearances for Bailey. He produced 18 points per game, along with seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block per game. When shooting, Bailey knocked down 46 percent of his field goals. From three, he hit on 35 percent of his shots on 4.5 attempts per game.
