In an episode of “The Knighthood Podcast,” Rutgers star Ace Bailey shared his turning point in high school basketball.
The podcast, which aired three months ago on the official Rutgers Men’s Basketball YouTube channel, featured a host Jeremiah Williams and the two highest ranked recruits in Rutgers history, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. They discussed their high school basketball careers, college recruiting, their favorite NBA players and more.
One of the highlights of the podcast is Ace Bailey’s high school transition moment. Ace had recently transferred from Boyd-Buchanan School in Chattanooga, Tennessee to McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, and had limited playing time.
“I started high school back home in Chattanooga… And then I moved like my sophomore year. My sophomore year… I only played like three or four games because of the move” (24:43-24:58).
When asked about the exact moment he started taking off, Ace replied:
“My eighth grade year going into freshman year, I went to a camp in Kansas. It was like a bunch of hoods there like Crossroads Elite. That grew me. Carrying over what I did at that camp to the school ball, I just mean it really blew up from there” (25:11-25:36).
Ace also addressed how he’s adjusting to college life:
“I mean it’s been great. Summer workouts have been fun. We’ve been working out in a weight room, on the field, off the field…everything has been fun, it’s been great. So just keep building off of that” (1:20-1:33) .
6-foot-10 Ace Bailey has committed to play college basketball at Rutgers as a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the class of 2024. As a senior, the 18-year-old shooting guard averaged 32.5 points, 15.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists His stellar performances earned him a selection to the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game and earned him the Mr. Basketball Award. Georgia 2024.
What to make of Ace Bailey’s college career at Rutgers so far
The 18-year-old shooting guard is quickly making a name for himself in college basketball. In just nine games for Rutgers, he’s already showing off his impressive skills. Bailey is currently averaging 17.9 points per game and has recorded ten steals and seven blocks this season, proving to be a formidable presence on the floor.
While he still has room to grow, his performance so far suggests he is well on his way to becoming a standout player. As he continues to develop, Rutgers fans can look forward to even more dominant performances reminiscent of his high school days.
Edited by Nadim El Kak
