Shoutout to Sebastian Mack, who fought until the final buzzer, making plays on both ends and keeping UCLA in the game. Despite his efforts, Rutgers came away with the win, 75-68. Now, let’s dive into Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.

First off, let me say this: Dylan Harper is ready to make an immediate impact in the NBA. This was my first time watching a Rutgers game (I know, shame on me), and I’m already planning to see Harper and Bailey live in action. Harper is a player who could start as a point guard in the NBA tomorrow.

One attribute that immediately stands out is how well Harper splits defenders off the high pick-and-roll. Watching him carve through defenders repeatedly reminded me of Ja Morant. Now, I’m not suggesting Harper is on Morant’s level athletically, but his ability to break down defenses is impressive. Beyond that, Harper makes smart decisions with the ball—finding teammates cutting baseline, and even tossing a lob to Ace Bailey off the high pick-and-roll. There were areas where he could improve, but it’s important to remember this was my first time seeing these young players in action.

While it’s not a glaring issue, I didn’t see much of a midrange game from Harper. Most of his offense came from attacking the rim or passing off the pick-and-roll. He could certainly benefit from developing a Jalen Brunson-esque midrange game—though, perhaps it’s something he’s still refining. His free throw shooting (74%) could use some work, and he strikes me as a streaky three-point shooter. For example, when the defense expected him to drive, he pulled up for a three and drained it. He then knocked down another in transition for back-to-back threes. That said, his shooting touch wasn’t as consistent throughout the game. But with Harper coming back from injury, it’s possible he’s just shaking off some rust. If this is him rusty, I can only imagine how good he’ll be when fully healthy.

Now, Ace Bailey exudes confidence and athleticism. He finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but if you were watching the game, you wouldn’t have guessed he had those numbers. What stood out to me was his approach—particularly his love for the jab step. And honestly, I’m all for it. He uses the jab step to set up virtually everything he does against defenders. While his shooting wasn’t on fire, you could see the confidence in his stroke. The kid’s athleticism is off the charts. Two plays stand out: one was a help-side block where his head was nearly at the rim, and the other was a lob from Harper as Bailey cut baseline.

If there’s one thing I’d say about Bailey, it’s that he’ll need to add some muscle, which the NBA will definitely help with. At the end of the day, we’re talking about two 18-year-olds here. Right now, I see Harper as the more NBA-ready player. He’s a strong guard with high basketball IQ and playmaking skills, and he could thrive in an NBA system that emphasizes spacing. Both Harper and Bailey have areas to improve—Harper’s shooting and Bailey’s strength being the most obvious—but they both could stand to be more tenacious defensively.

This is just my initial assessment from one game. I’ll continue to watch them and make adjustments as they develop.