Rutgers' Ace Bailey to miss season opener

Rutgers men's basketball team will be without freshman guard Ace Bailey for its season opener versus Wagner due to an injury suffered in practice, the team announced.

Bailey is a projected top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is No. 2 in ESPN's draft rankings.

The 18-year-old's injury is undisclosed and the team says he'll be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. His next chance to make his regular-season debut will come Nov. 11 against Saint Peter's.

The 6'10 wing dropped a game-high 25 points against St. John's in an exhibition game Oct. 17. A five-star prospect, he averaged 33.4 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks in his senior year of high school.

Bailey ranks behind only Duke's Cooper Flagg on ESPN's draft board. Flagg dropped 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in his first game against Maine.