Rutgers hosted more than 30 local reports and scouts inside Jersey Mike’s Arena on Tuesday as part of men’s basketball media day. The open practice featured offensive drills, defensive drills, and an eight-minute scrimmage which offered a glimpse at the Scarlet Knights’ five-star freshmen duo of Dylan Harper and Airious “Ace” Bailey.
Bailey, a Powder Springs, Ga., native, was ranked as the No. 2 player in ESPN’s 2024 recruiting class. Harper, son of Chicago Bulls legend Ron Harper and the younger brother of former Rutgers All-American forward Ron Harper Jr., was ranked No. 4, which gave the Scarlet Knights two of the top five recruits in the country.
“They’re not sleepers, that’s for sure,” Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said.
Eight minutes was all it took for spectators to understand what makes Harper and Bailey so special. Standing at 6-6 and 6-10, respectively, they possessed outstanding positional size and length. Harper’s veteran demeanor certainly stood out, as did Bailey’s fiery competitive nature. And despite being freshmen, both showcased elite court vision and an advanced understanding of the game. They were decisive. They were aggressive. They were smooth.
After a 15-17 season in 2023-24 which saw a 12th place finish in the Big Ten, there may be something special brewing in New Brunswick. This year’s roster features a former NEC Player of the Year, last season’s eighth-leading scorer nationally, and one of the best sharpshooters in the country. But it is clear that Harper and Bailey will be at the center of everything Rutgers does, at both ends of the court, for better or worse.
With Harper and Bailey on the team, Rutgers has been thrusted into the national spotlight.
“I think you saw that they’re elite passers, great kids from great families and I’m thankful that they’re here,” Pikiell said. “I think the guys around them also appreciate their skill set and their work. They’re both going to have really good years. They’re talented players, but, ultimately, they work. They’re good teammates and they really pass the ball at a high level, and I like that, and their teammates like to play around them and they’re young. Their best basketball years are ahead of them. These kids had a lot of choices now and they picked us, so we’re very appreciative.”
Rutgers will have nine new players this season and just three returning players in senior Jeremiah Williams, sophomore Jamichael Davis and junior Emmanuel Ogbole. Five of their scholarship players are freshmen, including Harper, Bailey and 6-10 center Lathan Sommerville, another Top 100 recruit. Forward Zach Martini and guards Tyson Acuff, P.J. Hayes and Jordan Derkack joined the program via the transfer portal.
“I haven’t had them for that long of a time, but they’re getting better,” Pikiell said. “They play some amazing defense, and we’ve got some tremendous length. We’re as big as we’ve been at every position. I think Emmanuel made huge strides. He’s good, he’s physical and he’s tall. I really like where he is.
“As for our returning guys, obviously Jamichael Is a great defender. Jeremiah can guard anybody, he’s a good defender, and now with Dylan’s size, they can do some great stuff, so we’re getting better. I don’t think any coach in the country, will tell you they like their team or their defense is amazing, or anything right now. We’re figuring it out. We’ve got good leadership. Zach Martini is giving us some fire too on that end with his voice and his leadership.”
Expectations will be higher than normal for Rutgers entering the 2024-25 season, but this young roster will not shy away from the spotlight. Contending for championships has been the goal since Pikiell took over as head coach in 2016. However, this season the Scarlet Knights may have the right personnel in place to make noise in the Big 10 and beyond.
“Every year I have been here I still have that trophy case in my office looking to win a national championship,” Pikiell said. “From Day 1, the first year I got here, I have been trying to win a national championship. So as far as expectations, bring them on. I love that. Our expectations haven’t changed. We’ve always had high expectations. Just because we get Ace and Dylan, doesn’t mean they go any higher. We expect to be really good this year. We expect to play the best defense on a Top 10 defensive team.”
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