As is often the case with “one-and-done” stars, fans just can’t get enough of them. You want to get emotionally attached, but deep down you know they’re gone the next season. First, it was National Player of the Year Cooper Flagg breaking Duke fans’ hearts with his draft announcement. Another projected top 3 pick will now join him! Rutgers fans, brace yourselves–your worst fears just came true!!

Ace Bailey’s time at Rutgers is officially up after just one season. The electric freshman made it official on Wednesday, telling ESPN that he’s declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft. No shocker here! Bailey’s been projected as a top-five pick all season long and could very well go number 2 right behind Cooper Flagg come June.

“I want to thank everyone at Rutgers,” Bailey told ESPN. “The community for supporting us and traveling across the country to watch us. My teammates, coaches and support staff. I loved being in college and playing college basketball. The student section, the chants, the blackout games, the wins and losses. All of it.”

A consensus five-star coming out of high school, Ace Bailey didn’t disappoint in his lone year at Rutgers. He started  30 games for the Scarlet Knights in the 2024-25 season, averaging an impressive 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. His performances earned him a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, along with Third-Team All-Big Ten honors!  Bailey enters the 2025 NBA Draft as ESPN’s number 3-ranked prospect–trailing only Duke’s Cooper Flagg and his own Rutgers teammate, Dylan Harper.

Rutgers fans definitely enjoyed watching the dynamic freshman duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper put on a show each night. The two brought excitement and hope to the court, but unfortunately, their individual brilliance didn’t quite translate into wins. The Scarlet Knights wrapped up the season with a 15-17 record and finished 11th in the Big Ten–a disappointing outcome for a team that had high expectations after securing their best recruit class in program history.

For Ace Bailey, this past season was more than just highlights and stats. It was a season of growth. The freshman phenom admitted that his time at Rutgers taught him a lot. Now, as he sets his sights on the NBA, he hopes to take those lessons with him to the next level. Here’s what Bailey had to say about his journey so far and what lies ahead.

Ace Bailey looks back on his Rutgers season

Anyone who has seen Ace Bailey play has often compared him with Paul George. Even PG13 himself thinks Bailey should be the number 1 pick in the draft. But let’s be honest–Ace’s freshman campaign didn’t quite scream consistency as you would expect from the draft’s first pick. Of course, an argument can be made about Flagg having the luxury of being surrounded by elite talent at Duke, while Bailey had to carry a Rutgers squad that struggled to find its footing. But even Ace knows he left some meat on the bone. He could have done better!

“I did good,” Bailey told ESPN. “I could have done way better, but I matured this season. The game slowed down for me. My IQ got higher. I got faster and way stronger. I’m nowhere close to reaching my potential. I’m still young, still learning, but I’m working every day. I can take a good team to a better level.” 

No lies told there. The Tennessee native had some ridiculous performances! 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks at Indiana, 37 and 6 at Northwestern, and a loaded 24-11-4-3 statline at Nebraska. Those are some crazy good games! But for every game like that, there was the 3-of-16 shooting night against Wisconsin or the 4-of-17 shooting night vs Michigan State.

Still, the upside is scary. Bailey’s got the athleticism, the length, the shot creation, and that tough shot-making ability you just can’t teach. He’s a true positionless weapon with All-NBA potential. The key? Like with any one-and-done prospect–consistency. If he puts it all together in the pros, we might just be looking at a future Hall of Famer.

But for Rutgers fans? This season will always sting a little. Two projected top-3 picks and no ticket to the big dance? That one’s gonna hurt for a while!