How does Ace Bailey's NBA Draft decision affect Rutgers? Taking a look at Scarlet Knights' projected lineup for 2025-26 season

The last piece of the 2024-25 Rutgers men's college basketball team has fallen after freshman guard-forward Ace Bailey declared for the NBA draft on Wednesday.

Bailey, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and third-team All-Big Ten, followed his fellow one-and-done teammate Dylan Harper, who declared for the draft on March 31.

The 6-foot-10 Chattanooga, Tennessee native is projected to be a top-three lottery pick in this year's event despite failing to help the Scarlet Knights make the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Although expected, Bailey's decision to enter the draft affected Rutgers' roster makeup for the 2025-26 season. Last season's key players Jordan Derkack, Lathan Sommerville and Jeremiah Williams have entered the transfer portal along with walk-ons Nate Freisthler and Peter Noble.

On the other hand, Tyson Acuff, Zach Martini and PJ Hayes have exhausted their playing eligibility, leaving Emmanuel Ogbole, Dylan Grant, Bryan Dortch and Jamichael Davis as returning players for next season.

Ogbole will have one year of eligibility left while Davis has two. Dortch, who burned his redshirt in February to help the Scarlet Knights, and Grant are set to have three more playing years.

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Steve Pikiell hauls four freshmen, two transfers to boost Rutgers' 2025-26 lineup

With only three players returning, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell had plenty of work this offseason to make the roster competitive for the 2025-26 season.

He first secured the commitments of incoming freshmen Lino Mark, Chris Nwuli, Gervonte Ware and Kaden Powers.

Nwuli is a four-star power forward out of Dynamic Prep who had offers from teams like Ohio State, Arizona State, Louisville, and San Diego State before deciding to commit to Rutgers.

Ware is a 6-foot-7, 1 of 1 Academy standout, who was ranked the 29th-best center in the nation and 10th in North Carolina (per 247 Sports). Mark is a 6-foot-2 guard out of Notre Dame High School, while Powers is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle.

Steve Pikiell then secured the commitments of George Washington transfer Darren Buchanan and NJIT star Tariq Francis from the portal.

The 6-foot-7 Buchanan is coming off a sophomore slump where he averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Revolutionaries this season. One year before, he earned Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year honors after tallying 15.6 ppg and 6.6 rpg.

Francis, on the other hand, was a 6-foot sophomore who averaged 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season for the Highlanders. He has close ties with Rutgers associate head coach Brandin Knight and Pikiell claimed Francis agreed to play for the Scarlet Knights for favorable NIL money.

The team has 10 players under scholarship, and the coaching staff will look for two more players during the offseason to complete the 12-man unit next season.