The 2024-25 NBA season has kick-started again, with another slate of teams facing off on Friday night.

One of those is the Raptors, who in a bout with the Miami Heat will look to inch closer to a premier pick at the 2025 NBA Draft. The team has entered a quasi-rebuild — questionably adding Brandon Ingram at the trade deadline — and will still be banking on landing a blue chip talent in July.

In a recent mock draft posted by NBA Draft on SI, the Toronto Raptors left with Rutgers star Ace Bailey, who has some of the highest potential in the entire ’24 draft class packed within a 6-foot-10 frame. Let’s dive into Bailey’s ceiling, and pairing with the current Toronto core:

At 6-foot-10, Bailey is a five-star forward prospect who’s long been on NBA Draft radars. He’s been touted as one of the best players in the ’25 draft class for some time, and has backed it up in his sole year with the Scarlet Knights, averaging 18.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 47% overall.

At his core, Bailey is a lengthy combo forward who has a knack for scoring in general, but especially as a jump-shooter. He has premier potential as a three-level scorer with his size, and has showed the athleticism and finesse to be able to put it together down the line.

Still, there’s major questions about just how reachable his ceiling is. He owns a 1-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio, a major question regarding his handle, and a few questions about his shot-selection, decision-making and defensive consistency.

With the Raptors, Bailey would be the best prospect the team has drafted since Scottie Barnes years ago. There’s a chance he doesn’t develop in a few key areas, but if he can put things together, he has true superstar potential in the big leagues.

In the scenario laid out in the full mock, the Raptors decision at No. 5 is a no-brainer, given that several prospects were already off the board, and Bailey is more likely to go at No. 2 or 3, anyways.

There’s now some overlap with Brandon Ingram on the wing, but Bailey’s potential likely makes NBA decision-makers salivate, and shouldn’t given Toronto any pause given adding talent is the name of the game for them right now.

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