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Chattanooga native Ace Bailey among 2025 NBA draft’s top prospects

AP photo by Terrance Williams / Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey shoots as Maryland guard Selton Miguel defends during a Big Ten regular-season game on Feb. 9 in College Park, Md. Bailey, a Chattanooga native, played at Boyd Buchanan early in his prep basketball career.
AP photo by Terrance Williams / Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey shoots as Maryland guard Selton Miguel defends during a Big Ten regular-season game on Feb. 9 in College Park, Md. Bailey, a Chattanooga native, played at Boyd Buchanan early in his prep basketball career. AP photo by Terrance Williams / Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey shoots as Maryland guard Selton Miguel defends during a Big Ten regular-season game on Feb. 9 in College Park, Md. Bailey, a Chattanooga native, played at Boyd Buchanan early in his prep basketball career.

By AARON BEARD / The Associated Press 6 min read

Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey were the first two names mentioned last summer when it came to men’s college basketball’s top incoming freshmen.

Now they’re the headliners among forwards in this year’s NBA draft pool.

Flagg led Duke to the NCAA Division I tournament’s Final Four and became only the fourth freshman voted The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year. Bailey, a Chattanooga native, put up quality numbers at Rutgers, though in a losing season for the Scarlet Knights.

Flagg and Bailey were ranked 1-2 in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals. Now, with the two-day NBA draft just ahead, Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick, while Bailey is a likely top-five prospect.

Here’s an in-depth look at four most valued prospects at forward, with strengths and concerns for each, and a glance at five more names of note at the position entering Wednesday’s first round at Barclays Center, the home of the Brooklyn Nets.