Assessing Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, and Kadary Richmond in a Rutgers-St. John’s Exhibition Game

October 27th, 2024

Rutgers’ 6-9 freshman forward Ace Bailey scored 25 points in a preseason, exhibition game loss to St. John’s in a game that was played on October 17th, and he is a very athletic, skilled two-way wing that could contend to be the first overall pick of the 2025 draft. This game also featured likely lottery pick, Dylan Harper, who also played for Rutgers and is the son of former Chicago Bulls’ star and NBA champion, Ron Harper. I took the time to watch them play in this game, with thanks to YouTube via The DraftMatic. Here are my thoughts on how they and other top performers fared in this game, as well as how they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA. Also, for those that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link, courtesy of St. John’s University Athletics.

Ace Bailey scored 25 points, made 4 three-pointers, and had 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in his team’s 91-85 exhibition game loss to St. John’s on October 17th.
(Photo: Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media, via NJ.com)

Ace Bailey had a strong showing in his team’s exhibition game loss to St. John’s. Bailey is a tall, very athletic forward that can score the basketball in a variety of ways, showed a knack for being the team’s go-to scorer, and he also is a rangy defender that can cover plenty of ground.

Bailey did a very good job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He showed a knack for making quick, spot-up threes off the catch, and he also can make deep threes both off the catch and dribble. Plus, he also showed that he can ably knock down tough, mid-range jumpers off the dribble, and he showed both good footwork and shooting touch to do so. He also managed to score on a thunderous dunk off of a quick cut to the hoop. Sometimes though, Bailey would take tough, contested shots off the dribble that would lead to misses, but he also showed that he can make those at a higher rate than the other players.

As a playmaker, he looked to be fairly average in this game. For the positives, Bailey can throw long, accurate passes to find the open man, and he also was able to make a drive and kick pass, as he can get the ball to shooters. He also was able to set an on-ball screen to help his teammate get an open driving lance once. Bailey is a tall, athletic scorer that handles the ball well. On the downside, he was fairly turnover prone in this game. He would sometimes throw hasty passes that would get intercepted. Another time, he drove into the help and had a ball ripped away from him.

Also, Bailey was able to haul in his fair share of boards in this game. He is a willing rebounder that will look to crash the boards on both ends of the floor, and he also was able to push the ball up the court off of a defensive rebound once. Sometimes though, he would be unable to secure boards on the defensive end, and there also was one play where he mistimed his jump that led a rebound to go to the opposition. He also played satisfactory defense in this game. Bailey was able to hustle back to make an impressive, chase down block to prevent an opponent from scoring on a fast break, as he was able to swat it to a teammate. He also was able to jump on a loose ball to get a steal. He also was active in contesting shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to get stops for his team, and he also would use his length that would allow him to deflect passes and successfully close out on shooters. On the downside, he had a tendency to be caught ball watching and over-help off his man, as he would sometimes be late on his close-outs, which would lead him to give up three-point baskets. Other times, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position and commit fouls and allow scores.

In general, Ace Bailey played very well in this game, as he thrived as a shooter, scorer, and defender in this game. He’s a smooth scoring forward that has great length and athleticism, and he’s also shown the skills to be a solid defensive player at the next level. While he tends to take a lot of tough shots, he’s shown that he can make them and has the disposition to be a go-to scorer. He is a very talented prospect that will likely be a top 5 pick if everything goes as expected, and he could end up being a star player similar to New Orleans Pelicans’ forward, Brandon Ingram in the NBA.

Dylan Harper put forth a decent performance in his team’s loss to St. John’s. He is a very athletic, physical playmaker that can play multiple positions, and he is projected to be a likely lottery pick for the 2025 draft. Harper scored 20 points, made 2 three-pointers, and had 4 rebounds in this game.

Harper showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. He was able to score high off the glass in traffic. He also drove hard and used a nifty, behind-the-back dribble move to his left to score another time. Plus, he also showed a very good ability to knock down pull-up, mid-range jumpers, and he has both good footwork and shooting touch to do so. He also was able to draw free throws on a tip-in after leaping up to get an offensive rebound. He also showed a decent ability to knock down outside shots. Harper was able to make a couple of three-pointers off the dribble, and he showed solid footwork to do so. On the downside, he was fairly streaky with his jump shot, and he would sometimes take tough outside shots that would lead to misses.

Also, he showcased fairly average playmaking skills. Harper was able to throw an accurate bounce pass to a cutter to notch an assist. While he didn’t notch many assist sin this game, Harper showed that he can find teammates on the move and make passes off the dribble. On the downside, he was fairly turnover prone in this game. Sometimes he would play too recklessly, which would lead to ball-handling turnovers. Another time, he threw a hasty pass off the dribble that got intercepted.

He also was able to collect some rebounds, as Harper was able to get boards on both ends of the floor. His athleticism was able to allow him to snag a couple of offensive boards. On one play though, he didn’t box out and allowed an opponent to grab a rebound in his area, which led to a scramble that led his team to give up a dunk afterwards. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he can hound opposing ball handlers, which enabled him to get his hands on a pass to get a steal, and he also cut off penetration to help force a ball-handling turnover another time. He also was able to contest a three to force a miss. On the downside, he would sometimes get beat off the dribble by opponents that shouldn’t get past him, which would lead him to commit fouls and low scores. Other times, he would have lapses as he would lose track of shooters as well as off of cuts, which would lead him to give up open baskets to his opponents.

Overall, Dylan Harper had a solid showing in his team’s loss to St. John’s. He is a very athletic, physical, versatile playmaker that can make energetic plays on both ends of the floor, but he will need to be a more inconsistent outside shooter in games. He could end up being a top 5 pick in the 2025 draft, and he could end up being a star player similar to former Portland Trail Blazers’ guard, Brandon Roy in the NBA.

6-6 fifth-year senior point guard, Kadary Richmond had a decent showing to help lead St. John’s to an exhibition game win over Rutgers, even though he didn’t particularly shoot the ball very well. Richmond showed off solid playmaking skills, as he is a tall, mobile playmaker that can ably run the point, and he was able to make an assortment of passes to rack up assists. He can find teammates in stride, and he is very good at finding them on the move. He did a great job of making passes on the break, and he also would make the extra pass to consistently find open shooters. He also excelled at passing out of the post. However, there was one time where he got tied up on a drive that led to a team turnover.

On the downside, he didn’t do a very good job of making shots in this game. Richmond didn’t shoot well from the outside nor make a high percentage of his free throws, which made it difficult for him to be an effective scorer on offense. He was at his best when operating as a quick, aggressive driver on the break. He also was able to dribble to the high post to score on a smooth, fadeaway jumper. Richmond also managed to score on a back cut. However, because he wasn’t able to establish a consistent jump shot in this game, defenders were able to load up the box to force him to miss tough shots in traffic when he would drive to the hoop.

Also, Richmond did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He was able to haul in boards on both ends of the floor, and he would sometimes push the pace after getting defensive boards. He also defended well in this game. Richmond is a very good shot blocker, especially for his size, and he would often swat shots in transition and direct them to his teammates. He even was able to hustle back to make a nice chase down block early on. Plus, Richmond would get his hands on passes to help his team get steals and deflections, and he also managed to contest a three to force a miss. On the downside, sometimes he would overplay his man and be caught out of position when defending opponents off the dribble, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Kadary Richmond is a strong, athletic playmaker that can pass and defend in games, but he will need to add a reliable outside shot to his arsenal. He is a high IQ playmaker that currently projects to be a second round prospect for the 2025 draft, and in a favorable scenario, he could end up being a solid role player similar to Dallas Mavericks’ swingman, Naji Marshall in the NBA.

St. John’s 6-7 senior forward, Aaron Scott had a solid showing to help lead St. John’s to a win over Rutgers in an October 17th exhibition game. He excelled as an outside shooter, shot blocker, and defender in this game, and his skill set lends well to a 3 and D role at the NBA level.

Scott did a good job of knocking down outside shots, especially from beyond the arc. He showed a knack for making corner threes, and he also was able to move off the ball to make an open three another time. He did a good job of making threes when he was given the time and space to get his shot off. He also was able to utilize a spin move to draw free throws on a drive in transition. He did miss on a baseline mid-range jumper and had his dunk blocked another time, but generally Scott excelled as a spot-up shooter in this game.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Scott threw a very long inbounds pass to find an open teammate down court once, and he also was able to make an accurate pass out of the post. Also in this game, he did not commit a single turnover on offense.

Also, Scott was able to haul in his fair share of boards, as he would chase down balls to get multiple rebounds on both ends of the floor. Scott also defended well. He would hustle to block shots to prevent opponents from getting easy shots off the dribble, and he would sometimes swat shots to himself due to possessing solid length, timing, and instincts. He also would contest outside shots, and there was one play where he did a good job of not biting on a pump fake to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss. On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit fouls and and to be out of position when defending three-point shots.

Overall, Scott played well to help lead St. John’s to get a comeback win in an exhibition game against Rutgers. He has a variety of skills that could be useful at the NBA level, and he has the skills to project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

St. John’s 6-7 junior forward, RJ Luis had a solid showing to help lead St. John’s to a win over Rutgers in an October 17th exhibition game. He showed off versatile scoring skills, and he quietly turned in a strong all-around performance to help get his team the victory. Luis scored 22 points on 6 of 9 shooting, made both of his threes, and had 6 rebounds and 3 assists in this game.

Luis shot the ball very well from the outside. He showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch, and he also was able to utilize a quick ball fake to make one from way out. He also showed the ability to score out of the post, and he also showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. He was able to use a crafty pump fake to score and get fouled once. Plus, he also was able to score off of a backcut. Luis showed a tremendous knack for absorbing the contact to frequently get to the free throw line. Sometimes though, he would take tough shots that would lead to misses when he wouldn’t get foul calls.

He also showcased solid playmaking skills. Luis can throw accurate passes off the dribble, and he also can find teammates on the move to set up plenty of scoring chances for his teammates. Sometimes though, he would struggle to get separation when driving to the hoop, which led him to commit a couple of traveling violations.

Also, Luis showed a fairly solid ability to rebound the basketball, and he was able to get a handful of boards on both ends of the floor. He also defended well. Luis would hound opposing ball handlers to make it difficult for them to handle the ball, as he forced an over and back violation once, and he also would close out on shooters to force misses. Every once in a while though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Luis quietly had a strong showing to help lead St. John’s to a win over Rutgers. He’ll need to show that his improving outside shot is here to stay, and if so, he could project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level, and he currently projects to be a second round prospect for the 2025 draft.

St. John’s 6-9 junior big man, Zuby Ejiofor turned in a strong showing to lead his team to an exhibition game win over Rutgers. He is a strong, mobile forward that showed off versatile scoring skills, and he was able to make some energetic, athletic plays on both ends of the floor. Ejiofor scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds in this game, and he also made a three-pointer.

Ejiofor did a good job of scoring out of the post. He was able to utilize a spin move baseline to score on a thunderous dunk, and he would often throw down powerful jams to give his team a boost. He also was able to get deep position to score on a jump hook. Plus, he showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays, and he generally did a good job of finishing plays off of put backs, tip-ins, and rolls to the rim. On the downside, he would sometimes miss on tough, contested shots that would lead to misses. While he was streaky with his outside shot, Ejiofor was able to make an open spot-up three off the catch to showcase his emerging jump shot.

He also showcased decent playmaking skills. Ejiofor was able to find a cutter to notch an assist due to possessing solid court vision, and he can ably pass out of the post. He also would set solid screens to help his teammates get open jump shots and driving lanes to score on offense. On one play though, he threw a rushed, inaccurate pass that got intercepted.

Also, Ejiofor did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He did a terrific job of grabbing offensive boards, as he would often provide second chance points for his team afterwards due to possessing a very good motor. On one play though, a ball bounced off his hands on a defensive rebounding attempt that went to an opponent and led his team to give up a put back score.

He also defended well in this game. Ejiofor showed that he can rotate to block shots to make it difficult for opponents to score off the dribble, and he would rotate to contest shots inside and hold his ground when defending in the post to force misses. He also was able to get his hands on a pass to get a steal once. On the downside, sometimes he would give up too much space to shooters, which would lead his team to allow mid-range baskets. He also would sometimes over-hedge onto opposing ball handlers, which would lead him to be out of position and to his team to commit fouls as a result.

Overall, Ejiofor played very well in his team’s exhibition game win over Rutgers. He showed off solid interior skills, as well as a promising outside shot. While he is a bit undersized to play inside, Ejiofor had a strong showing in this game, and he could be due for a breakout season this year, as his skill set could enable him to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Simeon Wilcher is an athletic, skilled combo guard that made a variety of shots, especially from the outside to help St. John’s get a win over Rutgers. He showed a knack for making outside shots off the catch, and he also was able to score on a running floater from the mid-range. He also was able to score on a crafty layup around the basket, and he also managed to score on a high-flying dunk on a drive in transition. On the downside, sometimes he would take rushed, contested shots off the dribble that would lead to misses. While he was able to make a spot-up three after running off a ball screen to get open, Wilcher didn’t take many threes in this game.

On the downside, he was quite turnover prone on offense. For the positives, he would look to find open shooters that would allow him to net some assists. However, he would sometimes mishandle the ball to commit ball-handling turnovers. He also threw a careless pass that got intercepted another time.

Also, Wilcher did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He hauled in boards on both ends of the floor, and he would sometimes push the pace afterwards. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he would poke balls away to help his team get steals and deflections. He also contested a shot off the dribble to force a miss. However, his lack of size and strength would make it difficult for him to contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint. He also would sometimes lose focus and track of his man, which would lead him to allow opponents to score on three-point shots.

Overall, Wilcher had a decent showing to help lead St. John’s to get a win in this game. He’ll need to be a more consistent player on both ends of the floor, and he’ll need to improve defensively, but he is an athletic combo guard that could project to be a backup point guard at the NBA level someday.

Rutgers’ 6-10 freshman center, Lathan Sommerville is a mobile, strong big man that had a really nice basket in this game. On offense, he was able to utilize a crafty spin move on a baseline drive to score on a nifty, one-legged turnaround jumper. He is a big man that handles the ball especially well for a player his size. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average. He showed good verticality and can actively contest shots to force misses. However, sometimes he would struggle to defend quicker players, which would lead his team to allow scores at the rim.

Overall, Sommerville is a fairly athletic, skilled center that could be an underrated prospect on Rutgers’ team. He might not see much playing time this season, but he is an intriguing prospect whose handles and scoring touch could enable him to be a potential second round pick in a future NBA draft, as he could project to be a solid rotational big man in the NBA in the future.

Rutgers’ 6-6 fifth-year senior swingman, PJ Hayes also played very well in his team’s tough loss in an exhibition game to St. John’s. He shot the ball very well, and he showcased versatile scoring skills in this game. Hayes showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch, and he was able to run off a ball screen to make a quick three early on. He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he ran the floor to score on the break, and he also used a pump fake to score on a tough put back while getting fouled.

He also passed the ball well, and Hayes showed that he can ably make drive and kick passes to consistently find open shooters on offense. Though he didn’t get many rebounds in this game, he was able to chase down balls to get a board on each end of the floor. He also played adequate defense in this game. Hayes was able to contest a three to force a miss. He also almost was able to block a shot after rotating to get there to defend a drive, but his teammate committed a foul earlier. However, sometimes he would struggle to defend quicker opponents, which would lead his team to allow opponents to score off the dribble.

Overall, Hayes is a skilled swingman that can shoot and score the basketball, and he is an energetic player that will make hustle plays on both ends of the floor. While he’s not overwhelmingly athletic, he is a sharpshooter that may have the mobility and motor to make it to the NBA as a 3 and D role player in the association.

Rutgers’ 6-6 junior swingman, Jordan Derkack had his ups and downs in this game, and while he didn’t shoot the ball well, he was able to make a terrific block on a dunk attempt by flying in to get the stop. He didn’t shoot well overall, as he struggled to make shots from the outside or off the dribble, but he was able to score on a drive in traffic once. While he was inconsistent as a passer in this game, Derkack was able to make some drive and dish passes to set up scores for his teammates on the break.

Defense is where Derkack made his calling card, and he rebounded and defended well in this game. He is a rangy defender that can get blocks and steals, and he can stay with opposing ball handlers and hold his ground when defending in the post to get stops for his team. On the downside, he’ll have some lapses at times when defending on the ball that can cause him to commit fouls and allow scores, but Derkack is a rangy defender that can be consistently solid at that end of the floor when dialed in.

Overall, Derkack is an athletic, energetic swingman that can really defend, but he’ll need to improve his jump shot in the meantime. If so, he could project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level. Otherwise, he could end up carving out a playing career either in the G-League or overseas when his collegiate career ends.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Bailey, Harper, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.