Rutgers' Ace Bailey echoes $300 million-worth NBA superstar's game style, claims ESPN insider

Rutgers guard/forward Ace Bailey has got the college basketball world buzzing, including ESPN insider Seth Greenberg. The former Virginia Tech coach compared Bailey and NBA star Kevin Durant.

"Ace Bailey, to me, and I'm not saying he is, he's got a little Kevin Durant in his game," Greenberg said on Wednesday in a conference call in response to a question from NJ Advance Media. "He really does, his release point, how he creates separation, how he moves around the court, his feel. He's special."

Being compared to Kevin Durant, who is ranked eighth on the all-time NBA scoring list, by a basketball analyst is a huge compliment for most, let alone a freshman.

Projected to be in the battle for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft with Duke's Cooper Flagg, the 6-foot-10 Bailey made his debut in No. 24 Rutgers' 98-81 win over Monmouth on Friday, putting up 17 points and six rebounds.

Arriving as the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers basketball history, Bailey has the ability to play all five positions. He possesses elite offensive and defensive skills that make him one of the country's hottest freshmen.

Rutgers 'good problem'

Seth Greenberg said that Rugters coach Steve Pikiell has to balance the team with the presence of Ace Bailey and another standout freshman, Dylan Harper.

"It's a good problem to have," Greenberg said. "I think the hardest part is getting them to buy into the good of the group and understanding winning enhances their resume. Winning enhances how people perceive them."

Dylan Harper won the first award of his college career as he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after impressive performances against Saint Peter's and Monmouth. He's the first Scarlet Knight to win the award since his older brother Ron Harper Jr. six years ago.

"Are they guys that impact winning and buy into coaching and buy into playing hard and buy into playing for the good of the group, and not just to be the No. 1 draft pick? I think it's difficult," Greenberg said.

Whether or not Bailey and Harper are capable of playing together is too early to call, but Rutgers certainly has the ingredients to assemble a squad ready to go head-to-head with the best.

Pikiell has struck gold by securing two of the top three projected picks, as he aims to lead his star-studded team to the NCAA Tournament. The school has won only one tourney game since 1983, with just four appearances in that span.