Rutgers fans will have to wait a little longer than expected to see the official debut of the highest-ranked recruit in program history.
Five-star freshman forward Ace Bailey will miss the Scarlet Knights' season opener against Wagner on Wednesday due to injury, multiple people with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media.
The injury, which was sustained in practice earlier this week, is not expected to be a long-term issue, one of the people said. Bailey's absence against the Seahawks is precautionary and his status is day-to-day, the person said.
Bailey's availability for Monday's meeting with Saint Peter's is unclear.
The Chattanooga, Tennessee, native highlighted the greatest recruiting class in Rutgers basketball history. Bailey was the second-ranked prospect in the country in the 2024 cycle according to the 247Sports Composite, behind only Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg. A 6-foot-10 forward, Bailey is seen as a likely lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft thanks to his electric scoring prowess, outstanding athletic ability and intriguing physical frame.
He put much of that skillset on display in a Rutgers uniform for the first time last month during a charity exhibition against St. John's at Jersey Mike's Arena. Bailey scored 25 points on 8-of-18 shooting (4-of-9 on twos and threes, 5-of-7 on free throws), hitting a number of tough shots along the way. He also grabbed five rebounds, committed three fouls and three turnovers, dished an assist, forced a steal and blocked a shot in 36 minutes of action during the 91-85 loss to the Red Storm.