Bailey is still regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2025 class. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to be the No. 4 overall pick in his most recent mock released on April 15. He is also No. 5 overall on Wasserman's big board behind Flagg, Harper, VJ Edgecombe and Jase Richardson.

Rutgers star Ace Bailey shared multiple posts on his Instagram page Thursday with photos of himself with the word “Declared” in big bold letters, and according to an ESPN report, that’s exactly what the freshman guard did, declaring himself for the 2025 NBA Draft.

Bailey is projected to be a top-three pick, ranking behind only his Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper and Duke's Cooper Flagg on ESPN's Big Board. The one-and-done Bailey is coming off averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in his lone season with the Scarlet Knights.